Tempting Batman
by Alexys Funke
Summary: Emily Page is a computer analyst for Bruce Wayne.They are friends, 'Co-workers',and are madly in love with each other. How long does it take for two people to notice feelings for each other and what will stand in the way? I should warn you this is fluffy.
1. Prologue

**Tempting Batman**

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

**Disclaimer: I don't own these people except for...Emily of course...**

"Mr. Wayne, I need help." Bruce looked at Lucius Fox over his desk.

"Well since the asylum is up and running again." He said with a smirk.

"Not like that, sir." Lucius chuckled. "It's just that I can't keep maintaining the computer system here and at the manor by myself."

"Well...if you have someone in mind. Bring them into the company."

"I didn't mean someone at the company, sir." Bruce went quiet. "I know the person who is most qualified for the job. She is a very trustworthy person."

"Where does this person work now?"

"She works as a secretary for Commissioner Gordon right now, and he agrees it's not safe for her there."

"Just how close are you to this girl?"

"I'm...her godfather."

"Ah. Well I trust your judgment of people, Lucius. Hire her. She'll start tomorrow night." They shook hands and Lucius left. The next day as Bruce's car pulled into the manor driveway he noticed a red Dodge Avenger. He got out, sent the driver on his way, and walked into the house. The first thing he noticed was Alfred wrapped in a blanket and pink bunny slippers**(1)**, blowing his nose."

"Alfred, back to bed."

"The...sitting...room." He said between sneezes, as he walked back to his room. Bruce went into one of the many sitting rooms and found it empty. He was about to call out when he heard a shuffle come from behind the couch. His brows drew together as he walked towards the couch. When Bruce did get to the source of the noise the first thing he saw was a delightfully rounded backside clad in a plaid red skirt resting on a pair of equally delightful legs with black stockings on them. He cleared his throat and she shot up, hitting her head on the back of the chair. She stood up, wobbly, her hand pressed to the spot where she had hit her head. As she stood up he saw that she really wasn't as tall as he'd expected even with heels on.

"Do you make it a habit of scaring new employee, Mr. Wayne." She asked, her eyes closed. He looked her over while he still had the chance.

"Only the pretty ones." She squinted her eyes, trying to see him. He looked behind the couch and saw a pair of black rimmed glasses sticking out form under it. He picked them up and gently set them on her nose. "There you go." She adjusted them and held out her hand.

"Emily Page." Bruce took her hand, and kissed it.

"Bruce Wayne."

"I know." She said quickly, and pulled her hand away. "I mean...you know because you're all over the news sometimes...You're no Batman but..." He stiffened slightly as she sat down before sitting on the chair across from her.

"How do you feel about him?"

"Batman?"

"Yes."

"Honestly? I think that he's been a great influence on Gotham. I know some people who are happy that Gordon took down that 'Bat-signal' but..it's not right that when the next big threat comes along they'll expect him to save the day. If he wasn't such a great person and covered for Harvey Dent all he had done would have gone to waste."

"Harvey?"

"Oh surely you must know mister Wayne."  
"Know what?" He asked with pseudo ignorance.

"He became...unhinged after Rachel Dawes...died. The Joker...he got to him."

"I think he got to everyone Miss Page." She leaned forward revealing more of her cleavage to him than she knew.

"Yes, but...Harvey? He was supposed to be Gotham's White Knight and if he can fall then...who can't? I know all about the cover up that Batman made Jim tell the public, even after Dent kidnapped his family, and it's noble that he took the place of the villain." After she was done with her impassioned speech, she sat up quickly and she looked at him. "Too much?"

"No, not at all." He smirked. "I think you'll do just fine." He stood up and put his serious face back on. "If you'll follow me."

"Before we go can I ask you a question?" He turned around at the door.

"Sure."

"Why do you need a computer analyst in your home? Lucius wasn't very specific."

"Do you trust me?" He asked holding out his hand, and for some obscure reason the scene from _Aladdin_ popped into Emily's head as she grabbed her bag.

"You're my new boss aren't you? If you trust me enough to bring me into your home why wouldn't I trust you?" She said walking up to him, and before he knew what hit him...She smiled. The room lighted up. Bruce didn't know what what to do and couldn't help but smiling back at her. "So where to boss?" He took her to the room in the Southeast Wing. She looked around the room and marveled at all the books. "Great library." Emily muttered to herself.

"Thanks." Her eyes darted to his quickly, as she blushed. He held her eyes as he pushed the keys on the piano. Her eyes widened at the sound of one of the bookcases sliding open.

"Woah,." She said as she examined the passageway before walking down it. "Are you coming?" She called over her shoulder. Bruce smirked again and followed, staring at her shapely legs. _'Stop it Bruce.' _A voice in his head scolded. Emily stepped onto the lift after Bruce, who had gotten in front of her with his long strides.

"Hold on." He said starting the lift. He saw her bite her bottom lip. "Don't worry."

"About this? I'm not. I was thinking about something else. So, do you and Alfred live here all alone?" She asked, changing the subject, as they walked off the lift.

"Yes." He saw she was about to say something else but stopped when she walked into the Batcave and saw all of the computers. Bruce rather thought she looked like a little girl seeing her first bike from Santa.

"Woah. Talk about hi-tech! What are you Batman?" Bruce walked over to the computers.

"Actually..."  
"What? Really? You...you're Batman..." She looked the room over again.

"You're not gonna faint are you?"

"No. Of course not, I'm not a ninny, but you must think I am for saying all those things about you."

"No I don't. I think that you will be very valuable and loyal."  
"Well thank you Mr. Wayne."

"So, since Alfred is currently out of commission, the kitchen is across the house and is fully stocked so you can get anything you want."  
"Okie doke." She said getting out her own laptop before sitting down and turning the computers on.

"Can I ask you a question?" Bruce asked.

"Sure."

"How did you get into the business of computers?"

"Well when I was in high school I was really good with computers and I just got it into my head that I could make a lot of money doing what I loved so I went to the University of Gotham until..." She looked at her feet, before looking at Bruce again. "Let's just say that after that year at UoG I quit and taught myself."

"Ok....Well I should go get ready."

"Yeah. Lucius is coming over right now anyway." She scratched the side of her head. They both heard the lift again and looked in its direction. Lucius stepped off as Bruce stepped on.

"Lucius." Bruce greeted.  
"Mr. Wayne." Lucius greeted as well.

"Bye, Mr. Wayne." Emily called.

"Bye Emily." Bruce rode the lift up to the main house thinking about his new technical analyst and her unique personality...and to an extent her curves. Emily spent the rest of the night manning the computers thinking about her new boss and his unique personality...and how amazing he looked in that Batman outfit. After the first night went off without a hitch Emily became a household appliance, and their routine became well...routine. Emily would come an hour before Bruce left. She would help Alfred with anything he needed, go to the Batcave, and talk to Bruce for a while about anything from family pasts to their favorite color. After Bruce would leave she stayed with the computers all night and when Bruce got back she would then leave for home. A couple of months after she had began to work for Bruce as a 'night maid', as she told everyone who asked, she drove straight home like normal from Wayne Manor. She got home, checked her mail, and went into her apartment. After she took a shower, and put her pj's on, she dove straight into bed. A couple of hours later she was awakened by her own coughing. She sat up quickly and inhaled a big breath of smoke before coughing and grabbing her glasses. When she tried to get out of the bed her feet got caught in her sheets and she fell off the bed.

_'What a horrible day to be clumsy.' _She thought. When she tried to stand up, she instantly fell down again in a fit of coughing and closed her eyes as she felt herself choking on the smoke clouding her room.

---

At noon when Bruce woke up and went down into the Batcave the first thing he saw was Emily's laptop sitting on the desk. He sighed and shook his head before picking it up and putting it in her bag, which she had left by the desk. He would have to take it to her today or she wouldn't have it for a whole two days and he really didn't think she could live without it. So, he got dressed and hurried to the car to drive her laptop to her imagining the whole way how she would thank him. When he got to her apartment building he saw a big crowd around her house and a whole cluster of police but no firefighters. A feeling of dread overwhelmed him as he looked through the crowd for Emily and came up with nothing. Finally he found Gordon.  
"Have you seen Emily?"

"I can't find her." Gordon said. "And the damn fire brigade is blocked."

"Why hasn't anyone tried?"

"We barely got here, Mr. Wayne. The other tenants were already out."

"I'll be right back." Bruce said handing Gordon his jacket and climbing up the fire escape on the side of the building that led to Emily's apartment. Once Bruce got up the fire escape and through Emily's window he saw that her living room and kitchen of her apartment were on fire and rapidly spreading to her bedroom, where he saw the door closed. He ran to the door, covering his face with his arm and opened it quickly finding Emily on the floor next to her bed unconscious. He picked her up, bridal style, and ran back back the way he came. Before he could get to the window a big piece of wood on fire fell in front of him. He stopped short and turned around in the direction of the front door, which was clear in front of it but he would have to go through the whole burning apartment to reach it. So, he revved himself up before sprinting across the complex dodging any fire he could before finally getting to the front door and kicking it down. He looked behind him and saw fire all around him before running down the first flight of stairs he saw and out the front door of the building, breathing heavily. He saw the firefighters arriving just as he put Emily in an ambulance. He watched as Gordon came up to him shaking his head and smiling.

"Mr. Wayne, you do like putting yourself in dangerous predicaments." Jim said handing him his jacket back.

"Well Commissioner...she's a valued employee." He smirked before getting into the ambulance to check on her. They already had her set up on oxygen.

"I want you to take her to a suite in the hospital under the name Bruce Wayne. I'll cover for all her expenses." He told the paramedics. As the ambulance drove off and he was about to get in his car he stopped and saw the rest of Emily's two story apartment building engulfed in flames. As soon as he got in his car he dialed Lucius' number.

_'Hello?'_

"Mr. Fox, there's been an incident. Emily's apartment building caught on fire, and she's been taken to the hospital."

_'Is she okay?'_

"She'll be fine. She's going to be in room 261 at Gotham General. I'm on my way there now."

_'I'll be there in 10 minutes.'_

---

Emily woke up in a white room, hooked up to many different machines. She looked around and saw Bruce sleeping in a chair beside her bed, and Lucius asleep on the couch.

"Am I in heaven?" She asked herself. Just then Bruce stirred and sat up straight.

"Emily..." She just put a finger to her lips and pointed to Lucius. Emily tried to talk but found she couldn't so she pointed to her throat and made a drinking motion with her hand. "Oh right." He stood up and poured her a glass of water with ice and handed it to her. She sipped it gingerly before closing her eyes and sighing in relief and tried her voice after another drink.

"What happened?" She whispered.

"You're apartment building...burned down."

"Everything?" He nodded. She bit her bottom lip and took another sip of water. "What am I gonna do?"

"You'll move into the Manor."

"What?!" She said loudly, startling Lucius awake. "Sorry, but I can't move into the Manor with you and Alfred."

"Emily, please be reasonable." Lucius said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and straightening his bow tie.

"I am. You guys aren't, it was a fire. Accidental fire."

"Actually, the fire was started in your apartment with gasoline." Her face fell as Gordon walked into the room.

"Then how the hell am I still alive?"

"We found gasoline on your couch and trace amounts from floorboards in the hallway so it probably followed the trail first." Emily turned to Bruce.

"Okay, but can I leave this damn hospital now? I hate hospitals."

"The doctor said you may have inhaled too much smoke so he wanted to keep you a couple of days." Emily leaned her head back against the pillow.

"Great." The next person to come into the room an hour later was Emily's best friend, Aimee Newton, who ran to her bedside and gave her a big hug.

"I'm so glad you're ok."

"Can't...breathe..." Emily managed.

"Oh...heh...sorry." Aimee said, letting go.

"Aims this is Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon." She said introducing them. "Where's Alfred?" She asked.

"He didn't want you eating this, and I quote 'unhealthy, unsanitary cafeteria mush' so he went to make you something at the Penthouse." Bruce said.

"And you?"

"He really didn't care about me." Bruce said with fake sadness, and Emily couldn't help but laugh at him. For the next hour they all talked and laughed and joked before the doctor kicked Jim, Lucius, Alfred and Aimee out. After they had gone Bruce and Emily were still talking when she looked at the clock.

"Ahem. Master Wayne," She started imitating Alfred. "Shouldn't you be getting somewhere?"

"Alright, alright. Get some rest Orphan Annie." He said jokingly gathering his things.

"If I'm Orphan Annie does that make you...Daddy Warbucks?" She asked as innocently as possible. He raised his hand as if about to say something but stopped himself and kissed her hand instead before leaving. Two days later the doctor gave her a clean bill of health; Lucius picked her up from the hospital in her car and drove her to Wayne Manor where Alfred led her up the stairs and to the left to her new 'living accommodations'. She walked into the bedroom and found it as big as her old apartment. It had a couch, bed and desk with her laptop, iPod, and phone that were exactly the same as they would've been in her apartment. The walls were even purple. Alfred showed her the closet where she had a whole new wardrobe.

"How did he do this in two days?" She asked Alfred.

"Spit, grit, and a whole lot of persuasion."

"Where is he now?"

"Master Wayne had an important meeting this morning, but looks forward to seeing you this evening." Alfred winked at her. She turned around and started for the Southeast Wing.

"No no no." Lucius said standing in front of the entrance to the library.

"What? Why?"

"The doctor said you have to take it easy for a while."

"Sitting in front of a bunch of computers isn't taking it easy?"

"No."

"Lucius, I'm fine."

"Bed. Now." Lucius said in a firm tone and Emily's eyes widened.

"Okay okay." She said walking back to her room. An hour after Lucius left and Emily had taken a shower and gotten dressed, she grabbed her iPod and stuck her head out of the door looking both ways. She kept her head turned to the right and started sneaking out to the left before hitting something big and hard.

"Oof." She said falling. She looked up.

"Mr. Wayne..."  
"Bruce." She blinked. Twice.  
"What?"  
"Call me Bruce." He said helping her up.

"Bruce...don't scare me like that."

"In my defense you shouldn't have been sneaking out of your room." She stuck out her tongue playfully at him.

"Ok...Daddy Warbucks. Can I call you that?"

"Only if I can call you Orphan Annie."  
"Only on special occasions then?"

"Ok."  
"So can I go to work now please?"

"Fine, but don't tell Lucius he'll kill me."

"I know." She started, again, walking to Southeast Wing with Bruce following her. "Thank you for moving me into your house and buying me new clothes." She threw her arms around him in a hug and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek but as he was looking down at her it turned into a full blown kiss. Bruce's arms wrapped around her waist. Emily's hands intertwined behind his head. The kiss itself was tantalizingly sweet and gentle and yet hard and passionate. They heard footsteps and broke apart quickly. Emily fixed her hair and straightened her skirt, as Bruce straightened his suits jacket.

"He has the best timing." Bruce started.

"Ever." She finished, and when Alfred got into the room he was greeting with two angry faces.

"Yes, Alfred?" Bruce asked, and Alfred looked between the both of them.

"Ummm....never mind." He said before scurrying off. Emily looked and Bruce.

"I should get down there."

"Emily..."

"Bruce, don't apologize." She kept walking towards the entrance and pressed the notes on the piano. " Oh, yeah. Can I have your permission for an intercom system in the house, Mr. Wayne?" She asked. He rubbed his chin.

"Yes..Emily." He watched as she smiled at him as the bookcase closed. "She's gonna be trouble." He said to himself, and simultaneously she thought the same about him.

* * *

**Authoress Time: **This is the first chapter. Hope you like it!! The next chapter will be up in like two weeks because it's final time in my school! Did I mention this is my first Batman story? No. Sorry but it is.

**(1): Can't you just picture Alfred in pink bunny slippers when he's sick?? Can't you?!**


	2. Risky Business

**

* * *

**

Chapter 2: Risky Business (Tsk tsk)

**A/N: Sorry it has taken so long! Here it is…THE DISCLAIMER!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything yo.**

**Here it is! For real for real this time. **

* * *

**5 years (a couple awkward moments, and a whole lot of sexual tension) later….**

_Bruce woke up suddenly and saw Rachel standing in the corner of his bedroom, hovering like a ghost, with demons all around her._

'_You did this to me.' She said. 'You did this to me and now you're going to pay.' The demons that had stood idly by sprung into action. He put his hand up to shield himself, but no attack came. He looked around and saw two of the demons bringing Emily in. Her glasses thrown on haphazardly and her pigtails mussed. _

'_Bruce? What's going on?'_

'_Emily!' He started for her but two other demons pinned him to the bed. _

'_You're willing to save her but you weren't willing to save me?' Rachel asked in the ghost-like whisper. 'What's so special about her? You loved me once.' _

'_Let her go.' _

'_Why, Bruce? What does she mean to you?'_

'_What do you mean? She's my friend, like you. She hasn't done anything.'_

'_Like me? You said you loved me Bruce and you let me die.'_

'_Do you love her?' Rachel walked over and held a knife to Emily's throat. _

'_Emily! Why are you doing this, Rachel?' _

'_Revenge.' She said before lifting the knife to stab Emily._

'_Bruce!'_

'_Noo!' He struggled against the demons. _

'_Bruce….Bruce….' He heard Emily's soothing voice. 'Bruce…'_

He slowly came awake to Emily's worried face.

"Are you alright?" He pushed himself up on his elbows and nodded. She narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." The nightmare was reoccurring and often. When she first moved in and found out about his nightmares she helped him. Helped him sleep when he couldn't or wouldn't for fear they would come back. When he knew she was safe they wouldn't. Lately, after she had moved out, they had come back with full force dragging Emily with them. At first he wondered why Rachel was the enemy in his dreams but he already knew the answer. He had killed her five years ago, intentional or not. Five years ago Rachel died and with her his heart, but then Emily came along. She was nothing like anyone he had ever met, and he'd met a lot of people. She was wild and outgoing. She read romance novels and watched NCIS. She made him laugh when he didn't want to. She could turn his day right side up with a smile. Even after she had moved out, insisting that she couldn't take charity from him any longer, she was there all the time to wake him up and make sure he slept. She cared. She wasn't like any woman he had dated either, and he like it. He reveled in it, in fact. She was curvy in all the right places and he found himself looking more than once at the shapely thighs that held her 5'1" frame.

"Time to get up." She stood and went over to the curtains. When she opened them the light flooded to room. The blue highlights stood out in her hair, and she had on the blue skirt he had gotten her for Christmas.

"Bats are…"

"Nocturnal." She finished with a smile, the secret smile the she reserved just for her employer and friend. The one that made him realize everyday that she was safe. "Unfortunately for you, you are not at bat…which is a very good thing."

"So what's on the agenda for today?"

"Nice skirt." He said with a smirk.

"Nice bandage." She said, motioning to the white gauze that had come partially undone in his sleep. She walked over to the bed and sat on her knees to get the EMT bag from under it. She took the old one off and started on the other one. As he looked down at her putting on the ointment in his mind wandered and he imagined running his hands through those curly blue and brown locks. He imagined her under him….

"Bruce?" Her voice brought him out of reverie.

"Yes?"

"I'm all done."

"Oh, ok." She put the bag away and put her hand on the edge of the bed to stand. She bent one knee to get up but before she was fully straightened her heel bent and she fell…straight into Bruce's lap.

"Oh! I'm sorry." She said struggling to get up but failing horribly. The only thing she managed to accomplish was getting herself further entangled in the sheets. Finally, she stopped struggling and blew out a sigh. "Help." He laughed before gently untangling the sheets from her hands and her right foot. Once free she sat on her knees and glared playfully at him. "That was not funny."

"Well, I think it was Miss Page." She made to punch him teasingly on the arm but he caught her wrist and rolled her under him. Her lips parted in surprise.

"Well…" She started, clearing her throat. "At least we know that after 5 years you still have your wits about you."

"Yeah." He said, shaking his head, getting off the bed. "Sorry about that."

"No, I understand…reflexes." She said fixing her skirt and putting on her shoes. "You should start your push-ups, I'm sure Alfred is making your gross green thing." She waited for him to start before leaving. As he watched her lush hips sway when she walked out, he found himself wishing two things: 1) that her skirt was shorter, and 2) that she had stayed. A while later Bruce walked into the kitchen, fully clothed and ready for the day, and found Alfred but no Emily. So, he drank his shake and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"She left." Alfred said suddenly.

"What?" He asked, looking up from the newspaper he had grabbed.

"Miss Emily. She left to meet Miss Aimee and then she's coming back here."

"Thank you, Alfred."

"You know, Master Wayne, Miss Emily is very special."

"Yes Alfred, I know."

"She's been a big help over the years."

"Yes Alfred, I know."

"Just wanted to make sure." Bruce shook his head and left for his meeting at Wayne Towers.

---

Emily walked into the coffee shop with a big smile, expecting to find Aimee waiting for her. Her expectations were let down when her cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"_Emmie! I'm sooo sorry! Brandon's parents came at the last second."_

"It's ok, Aimee." She said with laughter in her voice. "I know Brandon's parents and well…good luck."

"_I'm gonna need it."_

"Bye Aims. Maybe another time." She laughed and closed her phone. She walked up to the counter and ordered a double shot espresso from the gangly teen behind the counter. "Yum." She said as she opened the lid and smelled it a moment later. She heard a male voice cursing behind her, breaking her concentration on her coffee. She turned around and found a rather cute guy glaring at his computer. "Do you need some help?"

"I honestly don't know what happened." He said with a wolfish smile. He moved so that she could get in front of him. She typed quickly and within seconds the computer was fixed.

"All done."

"Thank you, Miss…"

"Page. Emily Page." She said holding out her hand.

"Thomas." He said taking it.

"You look really familiar...Do I know you?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Do you know Bruce Wayne?"

"We're...uh...acquaintances." He said through a fake smile.

"Oh. I may have seen you at one of his fundraisers…I'm the…maid."

"Maybe. Listen, would you like to have dinner with me?"

"Well…" A strange sensation formed in the pit of her stomach that she couldn't quite place. "I…"

"Great! Here's my card. Call me." He said, taking his laptop and leaving. After a time Emily walked out of the coffee shop and down the street towards her car, not noticing the laptop she had just fixed in the trash.

---

When she got back the Manor later that day, after going to see Gordon's family, she went straight to her old room and opened one of the books she had left but her thoughts roamed all over the place. Yeah, she…loved Bruce and she needed to fall out of love with him. How do you fall out of love with someone you see almost every day and when people keep inadvertently pushing you back? She moved out, Lucius made the schedule so that she was there for 6 days a week. She went out on dates, they all went badly. She hung out with her other two best friends who were dating, all they did was cuddle. So, her life was hopeless. In love with a man who didn't allow himself to love anyone else because of what he did and what happened to him. As soon as she thought this there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" She called.

"Hi." Bruce said walking in. "What are you reading? Another romance novel?" He said with a smirk.

"Yes and I'm really not reading it. Can I ask you about something?" She asked, sitting up straighter in the chair.

"Sure."

"Today at the coffee shop I met this…cute…guy." A surge of jealousy went through him.

"Uh-huh."

"He asked me out."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't really say anything he just gave me his card and left. The only thing is…I got this feeling when I was talking to him. I wasn't sure if it was good or bad."

"You should follow your gut."

"Yeah…right...Thanks." She gave him a small smile.

"I should…go. It's almost sundown."

"Oh…" She said wrinkling her nose. "Alright…See ya." She watched him leave and sighed. Later, she went to the elevator and went to the 'Bat-cave'. When she got to the computers she saw Lucius at the desk.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked giving her godfather a hug.

"It's my night to work. Remember? Six days on, six days off?"

"Oh. Really? It's been six days already?"

"Yeah but will you manage it? I have to go get some more coffee."

"Yeah." As soon as he left her phone rang. "Talk dirty to me." She answered cheerily.

"Maybe when I get home." Bruce said.

"Oh don't get my hopes up." She said teasingly.

"I need an address, sweet pea."

"Alright, what's the name?"

"Robert Thompson."

"Alright…hold on…" She waited for a second before speaking again. "So, I took your advice and I blew that guy from the coffee shop off."

"Good call there was definitely something wrong with him."

"Wow, you could be a profiler with your skills."

"Emily…"

"You could tell just how wrong he was with what little I told you. Tell me, was it that he was too attracted to me or that he was too handsome that tipped you off?"

"Sweet pea…"

"Just because I'm not some skank you would cross the room to hit on doesn't mean a less superficial, more perceptive guy would. You want snappy, Batman? You suck!"

"Emily…I didn't mean…"

"The address is 51 North Street apartment 2A!" She yelled before hanging up. She grabbed her purse and ran to the lift, ignoring Lucius as she went. "Sorry, Lucius I can't talk right now. I gotta go."

"Ok, bye!" He yelled as the doors closed. "Wonder what got into her." She got into her car and drove away. Once she got home she opened her phone and got out the card Thomas had given her.

"Thomas? Hi. It's Emily. Where would you like to meet?"

'_Ummm…the Jungle on 51__st__…in say…thirty minutes?'_

"Okay, I'll see you there." After she closed the phone she threw it on the bed. She went to her closet and pulled out her purple silk dress. She curled her hair and within 20 minutes she was on her way. She got the restaurant just as Thomas pulled up.

"Wow." He said as she got out of her avenger. "You look amazing."

"Thanks, you look pretty good yourself." She said, with a slight smile. After they were seated and had started talking Emily started to figure out that this was a bad idea. After they ordered drinks, she definitely knew it had to have been the worst idea she'd ever had. This guy, though attractive, was arrogant, pompous…and _weird_. To say he freaked her out would be an understatement.

"Excuse me." She said putting her napkin on the table. "I have to use the restroom." She walked into the bathroom and pulled her phone out.

'_Hello?'_

"Aimee! This was a really bad idea. This guy is…horrible."

'_Then ditch him.'_

"Yeah, I just want to go home."

'_You're gonna drive all the way out to the Manor this late at night?'_

"Aimee, I don't live at the manor anymore. Remember?"

'_Oh yeah. You moved out of this beautiful manor because you were 'taking charity.' You're so weird.'_

"I moved out two years….Just call me back in 15 minutes so I can get out of here."

'_Ok. Call me when you get home.'_

"I will." Emily hung up the phone and walked calmly back to the table. When she got there she saw that the drinks had been served.

"Sorry, what were we talking about?"

"I was just telling you how fluent in Italian I am."

"Oh right." She took a long drink from her glass and listened to him prattle on. When her phone rang, after what seemed like ages, she quickly took it from her purse and answered it immediately.

"Hello? Oh hey, Aimee. What?! Is he ok?" She feigned shock for Thomas' benefit. "I'm on my way." She turned to him.

"What's wrong?"

"My friend is at the hospital! I'm sorry, I really have to go." She said getting up.

"I'll walk you to your car." He said walking beside her after throwing money on the table. As they got closer to her car her vision started to blur and she stumbled. "Are you ok?" He asked with a smirk.

"Yeah…I just got a little dizzy." She said taking a breath and walking forward. She started to fall again before realizing what had happened. "W-what did you do?" She asked swaying again.

"Don't worry." He said with a sinister smile and grabbed her arm.

"N-no!" She said, trying to pull away.

"Oh yes, my sweet." She pressed the button on her phone for a camera and snapped a silent photo of him before actually falling and sliding her phone under her car.

--

Bruce Wayne was good with handling criminals. There were no emotions involved, all he had to do was hurt them and they talked. It was a common fact. People on the other hand were a whole different story, especially women who worked for him .Women who had the nicest pair of curvy legs he had ever seen, and the kindest heart to match.

"_Why do I even care?"_ Bruce asked himself as he knocked down the known drug dealer's home. _"She's a big girl. She can take care of herself." _His head said as he picked the man up by his collar.

"Robert Thompson?" The man squeaked and nodded. Bruce's lips quirked a bit and he hit the man into the wall before walking over to him and tying him up. A nice little present for Gordon. He was at bat-pod when his cell phone vibrated.

"Hello?" He asked in his normal voice.

'_Mr. Wayne?'_ Came Aimee's tentative voice through the phone.

"Aimee?"

'_Yes! Umm….I was just wondering if you've seen Emily.'_

"No."

'_Oh, ummm…ok. I'm sure she just forgot to call me when she got home.'_

"Where'd they go?"

'_The Jungle on 51__st__.'_

"Ok, thanks." He drove as fast as he could. When saw Emily's car in the parking lot he cursed. He looked around and found her Blackberry under the car. He pressed the enter button and the picture of Thomas she had snapped popped up. "Thomas?" He sent to photo to Lucius before calling him.

"Lucius, I need you to track a number."

"Ok." He said and Bruce heard the typing of a keyboard. "What's the number?"

"The number is 540-555-0987." He said, repeating the number from Emily's phone history and getting on the Bat-pod.

"Um…it says the phone is in a house not far from where you are, on 67th street. What's there exactly?"

"Emily."

"Why?"

"Thomas Elliot took her."

"The Thomas Elliot who…"

"I'll get her Lucius."

"I know." _And then I'm gonna kill her, he thought silently._

* * *

**A/N: *le gasp!* Bruce is mad with anger!! ANGER! He won't really kill her...just metaphorically kill her. :D**

**I know, I know suspense be crazy but I just thought I'd give you something to work with after so long! Sorry about that by the way. There shall be fluff next chapter! I'm just forewarning you. :D **

**Review please!**

**Until next time peeps! Lola out. **


	3. Landslide

Chapter 3: Landslide

A/N: Eh here you go the third chapter of _Tempting Batman_! BTW, I hate that Thomas kid. Hate him.

* * *

Emily woke up, groggily, to find her hands tied to the arms of a chair in an abandoned house. She looked around and groaned. "Where am I?" She asked herself, and the events of the night came rushing back to her. "You drugged me you crazy son of a bastard?!" She yelled, and heard the echo of 'bastard' bounce off the walls. _'God, Bruce is gonna kill me! I tell him he sucks and get myself kidnapped. I'm just a freakin' wonder.'_ Finding her feet untied she looked around for something to cut the ropes with.

"Don't bother." A voice came from the shadows.

"What the hell do you want with me?"

"Ah, yes, well…that is unfortunate I was really getting into our date. I usually don't go for the bigger girls but I had…_fun_. It is necessary that you don't know me though."

"Why?"

"I wouldn't enjoy taking Bruce Wayne's support away as much. He must pay."

"Support? What are you talking about? I'm the maid!"

"Oh, but you're so much more, Miss Page. Not only are you his _computer analyst_ but you are also his…_friend_." He added the last word with disgust. "And like me you know his secret."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh but you do." He said taking a sash out of his pocket. "You know..." Her eyes widened as he walked towards her. "His deepest, darkest secret is that he's…" She tried to get away from the sash being tied around her head but he grabbed her cheeks with two fingers and turned her head forward. He tied the sash at the nape of her neck and whispered in her ear. "Batman and I am _Hush_." She shook her head 'no' as realization dawned and he laughed evilly. "Don't bother denying it. Well…I guess you won't be able to deny anything after I'm done with you." She looked at him quizzically, and he turned on the light in the next room. She looked over and saw that the room was set up to look like an operating room. She swallowed hard and choked back tears of terror. "I'm a surgeon. Didn't I tell you? You're my next patient." He untied both of her hands and hauled her off the chair and out of her shoes. He was pulling her towards the 'surgery room' until she pushed hard against him and tried to get away. He easily recovered and grabbed her arm and flung her into the room where she fell and hit her head on the side of the table. Just before she blacked out she felt his foot come down hard on her side.

---

Bruce got into the house on the second floor and heard a loud crash on the floor below. He quietly but quickly made his way downstairs to find Emily. When he got downstairs he saw Thomas lifting a limp Emily's body onto the surgery table, and singing. He also saw the blood dripping from her head.

"Hush little baby don't say a word." Thomas sang as he laid Emily down on the operating table.

"Stop, Thomas." Bruce said stepping out of the shadows.

"Oh, hello Bruce, I was starting to get worried you wouldn't come." He said picking up a scalpel discreetly.

"Why did you take her?" He asked taking a step towards Emily.

"She is nothing but a pawn, a pretty little thing too…albeit a bit on the heavy side but that dress accentuates her assets perfectly."

"Thomas, you are a sick bastard."

"Oh I know, and now I have you to make up for all your family has done to make me that way. I thought that with my other victims you would've already come after me."

"There were more victims?"

"Only a few but when I started spying on you and Little Miss Sweet Pea over here I knew what would get you out."

"Thomas, I know you blame my family for your problems but you didn't have to bring her into this."

"Bruce, Bruce, Bruce, still thinking only about other people. She is nothing…" His eyes widened before he smiled sinisterly. "Or is she? Is she nothing Bruce?" Why did everybody keep asking him that?

"She's a human being, Thomas."

"But what is she to you?"

"This has gone on long enough Thomas."

"Ah, right. The battle. Well, I should let you know that I've been to all places and more that you have and remember she's bleeding…quite profusely."

"All the more reason to make this fast." Thomas came at him with the scalpel slashing at his throat. Bruce easily blocked him and punched him. Thomas recovered and came at him again, and again he blocked it kicked his feet out from under him. Thomas got up he ran up the stairs, beckoning Bruce to follow him. Reluctantly he followed and fought him at the top of the stairs. "Thomas, you're not going to win just give up." He said blocking another blow from Thomas.

"I will not lose to you again!" He yelled running at Bruce, who was standing in front of the railing. He stepped aside quickly and Thomas went over. He looked over the, now broken, railing and saw Thomas lying in an unnatural position on the floor. He hurried over to Emily and picked her up. He carried her to the Tumbler, which he had picked up, and put her in the passenger's seat. He tried to wake her up as he drove to the penthouse, to no avail. Once at the penthouse he and Alfred cleaned and stitched wound on her head, not seeing the bruise on her abdomen. And for the second time in his life Bruce Wayne sat by Emily as she was unconscious and thought, _'This is my fault.'_

---

Emily woke up, late, the next day in Bruce's bed at the Penthouse. She stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before the pounding headache hit her. She groaned and looked to her side to see Bruce sitting in a chair reading a very familiar book.

"Hey." She said her eyes half closed. "Where did you get my book?"

"The kitchen table."

"Oh, that's where I left it." She said with a smile.

"It's actually quite entertaining."

"You're reading _Minx_!" She said sitting up quickly, before lying back down again. "Too fast." She groaned.

"Yes, I'm reading your sex book." He said with a smirk, and they fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"Listen, Bruce. I'm sorry about what I said yesterday, and that you had to save me…again."

"It's what I do."

"Even after I told you that you sucked."

"Even after that."

"I didn't mean it."

"I know." He said and the silence this time was much more comfortable.

"I stole your bed." She said before trying to get up but when she stretched up, she fell right back down. "OW!" She howled.

"What's the matter?" Bruce asked, startled.

"I don't know I…He kicked me! That bastard kicked me!" She lifted up the shirt she had on, not noticing that it _was_ a shirt and not her dress. Bruce saw first the big bruise the size of a size 13 shoe on her side and rage boiled up in him. The fact that Thomas had the gall to touch Emily, his Emily…wait, _his_ Emily? When did this happen?

"Emily…"

"What happened to him?"

"He fell."

"Well, now _Hush_ is out of the way."

"He used you to get to me. This can't become a regular occurrence."

"I don't know why! I'm just the maid, but he'd been watching the house. He knew."

"He's known since I got back."

"Were you…friends?" She asked tentatively.

"When were younger, before my parents died."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. He blamed my father for saving his mother when he cut the brakes on his parents' car." He said and her eyes widened.

"He tried to kill his parents?"

"Yes."

"He deserved to be in Arkham."

"Yes, yes he did." He looked down at the book and back to see her scowling at him. "What?"

"How did I get into this?" She said holding the shirt away from her.

"Get into what?" He asked innocently with a smile.

"Your shirt."

"Alfred changed you after we treated your wound. We looked away."

"How did you…never mind. Thank you for being gentlemen."

"Did you expect anything less?"

"No….Listen Bruce…there's been something I've been meaning to talk to you about…" She started and was about to finish her sentence when Alfred's voice came through the intercom.

"Is she awake?" He asked happily. Bruce shook his head and went to the speaker on the wall.

"Yes she's awake." Bruce answered.

"Don't worry, I'll be right there!" He said quickly.

"He wasn't worried…was he?" She asked with a smile, forgetting what she was saying.

"Nope I don't think so." They looked to the open door and saw Alfred with a tray of food in his hands.

"Miss Emily! I'm so glad you are awake." He said, putting the tray in her lap, essentially pushing Bruce out of the way. "I called Lucius and he said you may have a concussion and to keep you up."

"Thanks Alfred but…"

"And Aimee called and said she needed to talk to you."

"Ok, thanks. You didn't have to make me food, Alfred."

"Oh! This? This is nothing, it's just left over from breakfast." Bruce heard this and looked at her tray and saw juice, crepes, bacon, and potatoes. His stomach growled. He hadn't had breakfast this morning…and neither had Alfred.

"Oh, well in that case..." She said before digging into the food he had given her. He left them with a smile and as soon as she was gone she looked up to Bruce. "Do you want some? I know you didn't have breakfast…I heard your stomach."

"No thank you."

"Are you sure? It's _really_ good." She smiled a smile that was half seductive, half joking.

"I'm good."

"Well, I guess to not disappoint Alfred, I will take on the task of eating all of this wonderful food…by my lonesome where it will go straight to my thighs and I will no longer be attractive. Thus, living with you forever and never finding a suitable husband." After saying this she wiggled the plate while he wasn't thinking about food at all now but how her not finding a husband wasn't such a bad idea.

"I have to go into the office, will you be ok?"

"Oh…yeah! I'm gonna go to Aimee's later after I go home."

"You're not going home."

"Bruce, I'm fi-" He put a finger to his lips telling her to shush. "But I have to tell you something, and I need a shower." She said remembering what she was going to tell him in the first place.

"Alfred already went to your house and brought you some clothes."

"How did he get in?"

"Your key."

"Sometimes it's really hard to work with two spy-like people."

"You got used to it."

"I did. Promise we'll talk later?"

"I promise." He said before leaving the company, wondering what she had to tell him and taking her book.

"Are you going to give that back?" She called after him, smiling to herself.

"I'm not finished." He called back calmly and she listened until his footsteps faded and the door opened and closed. As soon as she heard the door shut firmly Emily jumped out of bed as fast as she could with her injuries and found her clothes sitting by the bed. She jumped in the huge shower after finding the towels and a washcloth. She scrubbed away at herself, harder than necessary, carefully avoiding her bruise. She felt violated and she wanted to wash away all traces of last night, in fact, when she found the dress she had been wearing last night she was going to burn it she thought. She got out, dried off, and put on the clothes Alfred had brought for her: jeans, a t-shirt and…underpants, and surprisingly she wasn't that embarrassed. After she was done she stuck her head out of the bedroom and looked to see if Alfred was anywhere near. When she saw he wasn't she grabbed her phone and dialed Aimee's number.

'_EMILY! WHERE WERE YOU? ARE YOU OK?' _She screamed in Emily's ear.

"Aimee, I'm fine. I just forgot to call you."

'_Sure. You probably spent the night at your damn hot lover's penthouse.'_ She had no idea.

"Don't let your husband hear you say that, you know how insecure he is. So, will you shut up?"

'_Nope.'_

"I just called to tell you I'm doing it today."

'_Doing what?'_

"Telling Bruce."

'_Telling him what-oh! Oh. This is what I called to ask you about! Emily, you need to be more like your romance novel heroines. Be empowered, independent, don't be a slave to your emotions! Embrace them! Do you remember what happened in '__**And Then He Kissed Her'**__ with Harry and Emma? You know what you should do? You should…seduce him! Yeah! Take control!'_

"Why can't you accept this? Gordon needs me and Alfred, Lucius and Bruce will understand. This is nothing like that by the way and I'm not going to _seduce_ him!"

'_That's because they won't know the real reason! This is not embracing your feelings! This is…this is running away!'_

"Wow, you should quite your tech job and become a housewife. When did you become so…domestic?" She asked her best friend playfully.

'_I got married!'_ She yelled spitefully in her ear.

"What did he do now?"

'_Nothing!'_ She yelled, louder if that was possible. _'Emmie you're not getting the point. I love you and no offense but…you're being stupid. Like even more stupid than that one time we got drunk and danced on the table at that party.'_

"How was that not a good thing? That was the first night I introduced you to Brandon and you guys started dating."

'_Not the point…'_ She started but Emily heard Alfred whistling while coming up the stairs.

"Honey, I got to go. I'll talk to you later. Love you, bye." As she pressed the end button Alfred walked in.

"Hey, Alfred." She said sitting down on the bed.

"Hello, Miss." He said as he sat down beside her.

"What's up?"

"Were you talking to someone?"

"I was talking to Aimee." She said and Alfred remembered the pale young woman with the blue and hot pink hair.

"How is she?"

"She's great, griping but great."

"How is your head?"

"It's fine Alfred. Thank you for stitching me up."

"Master Wayne feels responsible for last night." Alfred shifted uncomfortably.

"I know…he does that, but he's not. I was."

"It's nobody's fault but Thomas Elliot's."

"Alfred, I have to tell you something."

"Yes Miss?" She leaned close and whispered it in his ear.

"Wait-what?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Alfred, you know why...Gordon needs me."

"Miss Emily…"

"I've made up my mind and as much as anyone with tell me I'm stupid I'm doing this and not because of last night he asked me a while ago."

"It's your decision Miss."

"You're not mad?"

"Of course not. Besides, you'll come back begging for my strawberry jam sooner or later." He said with a smile before getting up and getting something from outside the door. "Here you go." He revealed it from behind his back and she saw that it was a new romance novel.

"Alfred, thank you! I've needed this one."

"I know."

"Do you need any help around the penthouse?" She asked as he was leaving.

"No and even if I did I wouldn't come to you, you've just been hurt!"

"Right." She said sheepishly. "It's the head wound." For the next couple of hours Emily read the book Alfred had given her, dreading when Bruce would walk through that door.

--

Bruce walked into the penthouse looking for Emily but encountered Alfred first.

"No, she hasn't left all day. All I had to do was give her a book, and…Master Wayne, Can I speak freely?"

"If I say no, will you do it anyway?"

"Probably, sir."

"What is it?"

"It wasn't your fault…what happened last night and she knows that."

"I…know."

"So, whatever happens remember that."

"Okay." He said before setting off to find Emily. He found her in the sitting room, her purse and her dress from last night beside her.

"Bruce I have to tell you something…." She took a paper out of her purse and handed it to him. "This is my two weeks' notice." She looked all around the room, avoiding his eyes. "I don't know why this is so difficult, but Gordon asked me to work in the Cyber Crimes unit now that's is at least mostly safe."

"Really?" He asked, not really processing what he was saying.

"Yes. Bruce, you're one of my best friends and I'm so grateful for all you've done. I know I'll never be able to repay you but I will, and I'll still see you! I'll come over and help out sometimes….if that's ok."

"Of course it's ok." He said quickly, catching on.

"But I've still got two weeks of work, so I'd better go get some sleep." She said before picking up her purse and dress. "Don't try to stop me please. I just need to…be alone. I've had quite an adventure these past couple of day." She gave Bruce a quick hug and Alfred a hug and a kiss on the cheek before leaving. She walked out the door leaving Bruce standing there, and Alfred staring between Bruce and the door before bringing his palm to his forehead.

"You're just going to let her leave?" He asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Bruce inquired indifferently before going upstairs to his bedroom, and Alfred repeated his earlier palm to forehead motion and a moment later he heard a thunderous clatter upstairs.

"Ah, the sound of realization, maybe they'll stop being so stupid soon." He said to himself. "Very soon." He added when there was another crash. Hmmm, and Master Wayne was usually so detached.

* * *

A/N: Alfred! What are we going to do with these peeps? So, how'd you like it?

I'd like to thank all of my readers. I love that you actually paid attention to my story! Thanks! Cookies! Anyway, review please.

Love,

Lola


	4. After Tonight Pt 1

**Chapter 4: After Tonight Pt. 1**

**A/N: Look! Another chapter! I'm so happy! 9 pages, kids, 9! Anyway here you go!**

**Disclaimer: Eh, I know that you know that I know that you know that I know this isn't mine so…you know…just leave me alone about it!!**

---

Emily sighed and looked around the 'Bat cave'. It had been a week and a half since she put in her two weeks' notice and she couldn't help but sighing around the 'Bat cave'…or the manor. For 5 years this had been her home and as much as she didn't want to leave it, she had to. Things were going to change whether she liked it or not but right now she was going to the river like always after a hard shift. She took her bag into one of the many bathrooms and changed from her normal skirt and heels into her bathing suit, purple tank top, flip flops, and capris. Just as she stepped out, with her hair in pigtails, Bruce was walking by and walked right into her.

"We have to stop meeting like this." She said fixing her glasses.

"Yeah." He said with a smile. "Where are you going?"

"To the river."

"The river?"

"Yeah, you know…El Rio?" She said rolling her tongue before laughing.

"Alone?"

"I was going to call Aimee but Brandon's parents keep 'dropping in' and checking on them so she can't go." She said sighing. "And his parents are very…" She put her hands up like she was choking someone.

"I get it."

"Anyway, yeah I'm going to the river alone….unless you want to come with me?" She asked.

"To the river…"

"I think we established that." She said with a smile. "So do you want to come?"

"Yeah, just let me change." He went upstairs and Alfred who was watching from around the corner hurried to the kitchen with a plan.

--

Emily was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for Bruce when Alfred came up to her with a basket in his hands….and thrust it towards her.

"Here you go."

"What is this?" She asked, taking the basket.

"It's lunch for you and Master Wayne with champagne."

"How did you…Champagne?"

"Just trust me." He said.

"Thanks but…" She was cut off by Bruce coming down the stairs. She looked up and saw he had changed into a dark blue t-shirt that fit just perfectly and then looked down and saw the shorts that showed off his calves that were well toned and totally masculine.

"I'm ready."

"Ok…let's go." She looked at Alfred one last time before heading out with Bruce in tow. It was not a long drive to the river from the Manor, all one had to do was turn left and go towards the woods and take another left to get to the picnic areas. They passed a multitude of picnic areas before Emily parked at the furthest one. "This is the one I always come to because the river is just down there." She said getting out and pointing to the path just beyond the picnic table.

"It's beautiful here." Bruce said looking around at the swaying trees overhead.

"You've never been here?" She asked as she handed him the picnic basket.

"No, I've been a little busy."

"Not even when you were little?" She asked opening her trunk to get the towels.

"I think my dad wanted to bring me once…to fish but he got called away to the hospital." He said, remembering.

"So what did the young Bruce do instead?"

"Played hide and seek…." He looked back at her. "With Alfred."

"Oddly," She said, her head tilted to one side. "I can picture that. Follow me." She turned towards the path and started walking down it carefully. Walking behind her he looked her up and down and his eyes rested on her legs. Then he wondered how men in the 19th century survived without being able to see women's legs…or anything at all. Emily stopped at the edge of the bank and laid out the towels….before taking off her tank top and revealing her black and white one-piece bathing suit that had a skirt attached to the bottom. When she was done applying sun screen she kicked off her flip flops, walked into the river, and cringed. He saw that as the wide river progressed to the cliff it got deeper and deeper.

"It's cold." She said looking at Bruce who was staring at her. "What? I know I'm not all bone but I thought I could get away with a one piece at least."

"What?" He asked acknowledging her.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Are you gonna swim?" She asked wading deeper and deeper cringing the whole way.

"Are you going to drown if I don't?"

"If I say yes will you get your butt in here?" She asked innocently.

"Ok, fine." He said taking off his shirt and Emily stopped wading in the very clear waist deep water. She licked her lips at the sight of his chest and she gave an involuntary squeak.

"Damn." She whispered. _'Emily stop it! You've seen his chest before.' _The voice in her head said. _'But damn.'_ It sighed.

"What did you say?" He asked, taking off his shoes and socks and then putting sun screen on.

"Nothing." She smiled and dived into the deeper part. He looked at her with an odd expression on his face and dived in after her. When she came up in the deep end she found Bruce swimming right in front of her with a big grin on his face.

"Are you cold?" She asked, moving her stray hair from her face.

"No." He said, the grin not leaving his face.

"Why are you smiling?" She asked suspiciously.

"I can't smile in the presence of a beautiful woman?"

"A beautiful woman? Where?" She said playfully looking around. "Oh that's right beautiful woman don't come to the river or so I'm told."

"I see one right in front of me."

"Oh you're a sweet talker." She said going under again. This time when she came back up Bruce was nowhere to be found. She turned her head all around looking for him. "Bruce? Bruce?!" She stopped turning for a minute to see if she could see him anywhere. She couldn't. "Bruce, where are you?" She heard a small splash behind her. When she turned around she looked on the cliff and saw Bruce getting ready to jump. "Bruce!! You're going to kill yourself!!" She screamed.

"I'll be fine!" He called back.

"Bruce, please come down from there!"

"Ok!" He yelled before jumping off the rock, straight down. She stared shocked at is free falling form. When he finally hit the water, after what seemed like ages, he stayed under for a minute and Emily swam frantically towards where he landed a few feet away in the shadowed water. She was looking around when she felt something grab her foot and pull her under. When she was under she opened her eyes and saw Bruce in front of her smiling and she kicked up to the surface.

"You're a jerk!" She yelled good-humoredly when he came up after her.

"Why?"

"Because you could've died!"

"I almost 'could've died' every day." He retorted.

"I know! How horrible would it be if you died at the _river_? You spend your life saving others!"

"And planning fundraisers." He added.

"And planning fundraisers." She agreed. They swam for another hour and a half laughing and playing around before getting hungry. They swam to the bank and plopped down on the towels she had set out.

"I'm so hungry." She said opening the basket Alfred sent with them. "Let's see… we have two sandwiches, some chips, and strawberries and sugar…for dessert I guess and some champagne." She said as she pulled out all of the contents.

"What?"

"That's what I said when he told me."

"He's getting soft in his old age." Bruce said, pouring glasses for both of them.

"Don't let him hear you say that, he'll turn around and do something just to prove you wrong." She said and they both laughed.

"Why did you quit college?" He asked, the one question he hadn't asked in the whole 5 years she worked there.

"Why?" She asked her sandwich at her mouth.

"I was just wondering, You never said."

"Well, I was a junior working for my master's in computers." She said.

"And?"

"And," She gulped. "Someone killed my parents and my little brother." Her eyes turned dark and she set her sandwich down. "My father…he was...he worked for the government and had a lot of enemies…You know? And one night after they had gone to bed, or so I'm told, someone sneaked in and slaughtered them: my mother, my father…and my 10 year old brother." She said tears now in her eyes and he put a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "I couldn't… I couldn't go on after that. Gordon and Lucius helped me." She said with a slight smile and wiped away the tears. "Good enough?"

"I'm sorry."

"You didn't know and if you had, you would've spent the last 5 years thinking of me as the poor little girl whose family was dead."

"I know what it's like." He said. And then, "Emily, why are you really quitting?" Effectively changing the subject.

"What?" She asked a chip halfway to her mouth….again.

"Why are you really quitting?" He persisted.

"What do you mean?" _'Tell him the truth!'_ The voice that seemed to want to control her life screamed.

"Come on, Emily."

"I told you. I quit because Gordon needs me to work in the Cyber Crimes Unit and I can't do both."

"That's really why you're quitting." _'No! No it's not.'_ There was that damn voice again.

"Of course. Why would I lie?" She asked, a feeling of betrayal forming in the pit of her stomach.

"You wouldn't." She was going to be sick. Lying to Bruce was not kosher. Not after everything he'd done for her.

"Do you know what I realized?" She said changing the subject.

"What?"

"My last day is your birthday. The big 3-6." She said smiling.

"Yeah."

"What's the theme of this year's big party?"

"Alfred wants a masquerade." He sighed and she stifled a giggle.

"How will everybody know who to sing to?"

"I don't know. Maybe he's hoping that they'll mistake him for me." She looked him over before replying.

"I think he knows that they won't because if anything all the women there stare at your body the whole time. I mean come on I barely hear what you say half the time because I am _so_ distracted by your...maleness." She said in a laughing tone.

"Wow."

"Exactly, you're drooled over everywhere and you don't even know it. You are so lucky that I'm here to tell you."

"Yes I am. Are you going?"

"Am I invited?"

"Of course, since we won't be able to have a cupcake with a candle this year."

"It's your birthday and especially since it's my last day I want to be there….just…."She started.

"What?" He asked.

"Please don't burn down your mansion this time."

"That was 6 years ago!" He laughed. Something, he realized, he had done a lot since meeting Emily. They finished their lunch laughing and talking before heading out. Emily dropped him off at the Manor and drove home, her heart weighing heavily with her lies and other thoughts.

---

Bruce got to the manor at 5 o'clock in the morning the day of his birthday. He saw Emily to her car and went into his room to fall into his bed. He was exhausted and fully expected to fall into a deep sleep until around noon. But sometime during the day his body had become on edge and his mind wandered. He watched the dream as if he was floating near the ceiling of his ballroom watching his party. He saw Emily talking and laughing with a group of people until she looked up at him walking in the door and smiled brightly, her eyes twinkling behind her glasses. Then all of the sudden he was transported into his room where he saw a black dress lying on the floor alongside his clothes and he could feel everything going on. A well-rounded woman under him, sliding her hands up and down his back pulling him in deeper, but he couldn't make out who it was. Then he moved, just a smidge, and he saw her: Emily, her head thrown back in pleasure. His body jolted him awake. He sat up and looked around his empty room for any sign of her and found he was alone. This was not the first time he'd had a dream like this about Emily but this one had seemed so real …so vivid. Crap. Why now? Why did it have to be the day she was walking out of his life?

"Damn." He cursed before lying back down and trying to banish her from his mind.

----

It was around ten and Emily was asleep when her phone went off, telling her she had a picture text with a special ringtone. She opened the message and it started playing the song 'Birthday Sex'. She sighed and checked to see who sent it to her. Aimee's name popped up so she called her dear friend.

'_The greatest person ever! Speak if you want to be heard.'_ She answered cheerfully.

"Why?" She asked groggily.

'_Why what?' _Aimee asked innocently.

"Why did you send me that song? I was sleeping."

'_Don't you get it? It's Wayne's birthday…and you're going to give him sex!'_

"No…no I'm not." She heard a knock on the door. "Hold on." She got out of bed, taking her phone with her heading for the door. She opened it to find Aimee standing there, her phone in one hand, a dress bag in the other and a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

"What's that?" She asked.

"This is your dress!" Aimee answered walking past her into her apartment.

"I already have a dress." She answered, yawning.

"But you don't have _this_ dress."

"What's so special about it?"

"_This_ dress will make Mr. Wayne go crazy." She said.

"Will you stop saying '_this_ dress'?"

"No, because this dress is special!" She proceeded to open the bag and pulled out a strapless deep red dress that was like a corset on the top that flared out at hip length.

"Oh my…"

"I know." She finished for her.

"Where did you get this?"

"I have a friend who's a designer and I told her your situation."

"What situation?" She asked dazedly, looking at the dress.

"You know theonewhereyouareinlovewithBruceWayne….and won't admit it but tonight could change your life!"

"Aimee! You told her that? A complete stranger?"

"No! I told her you were in love with your very rich employer!"

"Same difference." She muttered as Aimee pushed her into the bathroom. "And I'm not in love with him…I mean I love him but he's my _friend_."

"Just try it on."

"Fine." She said grabbing the dress out of Aimee's hand and shutting the door. When she came out Aimee gasped. "What?"

"You look…gorgeous."

"Really?" She went to the full length mirror in her room and looked at herself.

"And here's your mask." She said handing her a red satin mask with gold trim and black satin ties and helped her put it on.

"Aimee, you really didn't have to…"

"Emily…" She took her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You are my best friend. I've known you since we were 2; you introduced me to my husband for god's sake. I just want to see you happy." Emily tearfully smiled at her friend.

"Aimee, I am happy."

"Emily, no you're not. You may think you're happy but what happens when you want what your heroine's want? Love."

"They're not real."

"You, of all people, deserve what they have. Real or not, you were made for love…just not Mr. Crazy from the other night."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're the best friend a girl could have?"

"Not lately."

"Well, let me be the one to tell you that you are."

"I know." She said before hold her stomach and running towards the bathroom. Emily listened to her throwing up and cringed. "Uh-oh." She said, knocking on the door.

"Oh, crap." She heard her friend say behind the door.

"Are you okay?"

"No, I think I'm…well…ummm…I took a test and my feet are swollen…and my boobs…they're almost as big as yours lately…" And never in their 29 years of knowing each other had Emily seen her friend at a loss for words.

"You're eggo is preggo, goose." She said with a big smile.

"This is…"

"Great!" She said hugging her.

"It is, isn't it?"

"Yes, and you have to make a doctor's appointment to make sure though."

"I hate doctors Emmie!" She whined.

"No whining!"

"I'm pregnant, I have permission to whine."

"You're gonna have to tell Brandon soon."

"I know, but today is your day Emmie, and I want to be here to help you."

"I say we…sleep…or at least put a movie on and lay down."

"You have to save your strength!"

"For what?"

"Birthday sex, and now that I'm pregnant I have a viable reason to raid your kitchen."

"You always raid my kitchen."

"But like I said, now I have a viable reason." She said walking to the kitchen while Emily picked out a movie and went to change out of the dress. As the day wore on the two friends laughed, slept, watched movies and caught up on everything they hadn't talked about in the last few weeks. At six, Emily started getting ready and by 7:30 all she had to do was her makeup.

"You know I don't know why you love , this Batman character seems nice enough. He saved you."

"Do you know how many people Batman saves and how many people he puts away in a night?" She asked, putting on her makeup in front of the mirror as Aimee sat outside.

"A couple hundred?"

"Exactly."

"Well, maybe you made an impression on him and he'll fall madly in love with you…go out with another crazy guy..." Aimee said and Emily smirked.

"Sure, Aims, sure." She said and went back to getting ready. After she had put the finishing touches on her makeup and put on her mask she turned to Aimee.

"Wow, that's a knockout dress, Emily. Why thank you Aimee." She said, illustrating a conversation between herself and Emily. "Now, go get 'em tiger." She said as they left Emily's apartment and parted ways. "And remember!" She yelled as Emily got to her car. "Birthday sex!" Emily sighed and drove off but Aimee was right about one thing, this night would be life-changing.

---

**A/N: Ok! Once again, I hoped you liked it! Next chapter will be the 'Birthday Ball' and some major, major fluffiness! Suckas!!!! Anyway, thanks for reading. Review please!**


	5. After Tonight Pt 2

_**READ THE A/N!**_

**Chapter 5: After Tonight Pt. 2**

**A/N: OK! READ THIS! ES MUY IMPORTANTE! VERY IMPORTANT! I feel I must…warn you about certain aspects of this chapter…there's….seks! I know, I know. How very bad of me! : D Alas my romance novel filled brain (and my friend) forced me to do it. So if don't like seks or lemon or whatever you want to call it don't read the last part of this chapter and if you do…don't come crying to me. I warned you!**

**So, without further ado! Here. We. Go! (Ah! See what I did there?)**

---

Bruce stood in front of the mirror in his room adjusting his bowtie when Alfred came in.

"Do you need help sir?"

"No thank you Alfred." He said finishing. "Is Emily here yet?"

"Uh no, sir, but she did call and say she'd be here soon." He said handing Bruce his black leather Venetian mask with gold trim and black ties in the back.

"Ok."

"Uh, sir. If you don't mind me asking…do you have feelings for Miss Emily?"

"Of course, Alfred, she's a good friend."

"That's not what I meant sir."

"Then what do you mean?"

"I mean that since Miss Emily has worked here you have smiled more than I've ever seen you smile. You have had fun in the five years she's been here and now you're letting her get away."

"Alfred…" He said and Alfred straightened and fixed his jacket.

"Sorry, sir." He left quickly.

"That was…weird." He said and finished getting ready.

---

Emily got out of her car, gave her keys to the valet, and wished she had brought a wrap. The cute valet smiled at her as she put her mask on, tying it under her curled hair, and she smiled back before walking inside. Immediately she saw Alfred coming down the steps putting his mask and went towards him.

"Alfred." She said coyly, and he looked towards her before giving her a curious look. "It's me. Emily. You know…me?"

"Oh! Miss Emily, I am sorry I'm just out of sorts…you look beautiful." He said finally looking at her fully.

"Thank you." She said and sunk into a curtsy. "Aimee got the dress for me."

"I know…I mean...that was nice of her."

"It was." She said suspiciously and just then she heard a waltz start from inside the living room-turned-ballroom. "Would you like to dance?" She asked holding out her hand.

"It would be highly inappropriate…"

"When have I ever been appropriate?" She smiled.

"True." He said and led her inside the 'ballroom' to the dance floor. She looked around saw that the room had been decorated like a real ballroom. There was a huge chandelier on the ceiling and the huge doors that led outside had been opened, the hedges just outside strung with lights. They joined in the already started waltz.

"Why, Miss Emily, I didn't know you knew how to waltz so well!" He said as he twirled her around.

"Bruce taught me, I've just never been to one of Bruce's big parties to show you."

"You were invited to all of them."

"I just don't...know these people and they're kind of intimidating…." A sensation of awareness went down her spine when Bruce entered the room and she missed a step in the waltz but Alfred caught her.

"Sorry." She murmured. She looked over to see a tall blonde in a tight black dress and a feathered mask running over to him and looked away.

"Don't worry Miss."Alfred whispered.

"What?"

"About her, she's…kind of a woman of...ill repute."

"Alfred!" She laughed. "Did you just call someone a slut?"

"No, I called her a woman of ill repute." He said with a smirk as the dance ended and twirled her once more before escorting her to the drink table. "Thank you for the lovely dance, Miss Emily."

"No, thank you. You are very lithe on your feet." She said with a smile and in that moment there was a crash and a shriek. They looked over to see one of the servers frantically picking up his fallen tray.

"Well, duty calls but thank you Miss Emily. I'm going to miss you around here." He kissed her hand and left to attend the fallen glasses. She picked up a glass of champagne as he left and watched all of the people around the room and all of the different masks.

"Do I know you?" A male voice asked from behind her. She jumped slightly and turned to see who it was. She stared into his eyes and realized who it was immediately.

"You know, you do kind of look familiar…..some guy I used to work for."

"Really? Maybe I just have one of those faces." He looked around before looking back at her. "Was your employer handsome?"

"Eh, well….he was…Ok, I guess." She smiled, feeling flirtatious at their game.

"Ok? I heard that many women were distracted by his…_maleness_." The man said, his voice laughing.

"Some are….like tall blonde ones in black dresses."

"Well, personally, I prefer short brunettes with red dresses." Shocked by his admission she squinted at him behind her mask and he held out his hand.

"I don't think said blonde would like us dancing too much."

"What if I told you I didn't care?" She swallowed the last of her glass and took his hand.

"I'd say what are we waiting for?" He led her onto the dance floor as the band started the first chords of the tango. Her flirtatious mood instantly ended and she tried to pull away but he pulled her against him.

"Don't be scared Sweet Pea, I taught you this." He said and broke their game. This was the one dance she had never gotten the hang of. When the crowd parted as they started to dance Emily just looked at Bruce and felt calm. "See? Just keep looking at me." He whispered in her ear as they passed the tall blonde in the crowd, who shot her a dirty look.

"I was right."

"What?"

"Bruce, she's gonna claw my eyes out." She said as he whisked her across the room.

"No she's not."

"Alfred said she was a slut."

"Alfred? I don't believe it."

"Well…technically he called her a woman of ill repute."

"That's more like the Alfred we know and love." He said, turning her under his arm and pulling her against him again. Soon, the song had come to an end and as the last note was played he dipped her. He was so close he could've kissed her he thought while she stared up at him, her red lips beckoning. _'God, he could kiss you.' _Emily's mind said as Bruce held her tight in that dip, his lips inches from hers. Their audience's claps brought them both out of their bubble. They stood up and smiled before Bruce ushered her back to the drink table.

"I'm a little hot…" she said. "I think I'll…" She pointed to the open doors and left him at the table.

"If I was a smart man I'd let her go." He said to himself. "I'm not a very smart man." He said as he walked towards the door she had gone out of, but was deterred by 'the tall blonde' as Emily had called her.

"Bruce, I saw you dancing with that short…round girl."

"And?"

"And I am not pleased."

"Well, I'm sorry Amanda but…"

"Dance with me, like that, now."

"I'm sorry but I can't." He told her, trying to get by her.

"Why not?" She asked gruffly, stomping her foot, and for the life of him as he stared at his once 'escort' he couldn't for the life of him remember what he had seen in her.

"Because we're not dating, we never were and we never will."

"Bruce…don't you remember that time in Cabo?"

"No, no I don't. I've never been to Cabo."

"Oh…" She said in dismay. "Well…"

"I think we're done here." He said, side-stepping her and heading out the doors. He saw Emily standing alone immediately, her head back, looking at the stars.

"Did you know you can't see the stars from the city?" She asked as if sensing him as he walked out.

"No." He said moving to her side.

"That's one thing I noticed going back and forth. They're nice to look at sometimes, calming."

"Well, you can use the manor to look at the stars anytime."

"Thanks…Oh! Here's your gift." She opened the little purse that dangled off her wrist and pulled out a small box.

"What is it?" He shook the box.

"Just open it." She smiled and shook her head as he opened the box and the smirk fell off his face. It was a gold pocket watch that looked exactly like the one he had lost in the fire, one that had been handed down for generations in his family.

"Emily…where…"

"Oh, you know. I scoured the city, the internet…and then I had one made!" She laughed but the gravity of his expression made her stop. "You don't like it?"

"No, I do. Thank you."

"Bruce…I just want to thank you for everything. You've been so great to me."

"It was nothing." He said coolly.

"It was everything." She said fervently. "You saved me from that fire and you invited me into your home. That is why I worked so hard to find you the perfect gift." He moved his hand to cover hers on the railing and she looked up at him with those big brown eyes. They heard someone clearing their throat behind them and they started from the unexpected sound, moving away from each other quickly. When Emily turned around she saw a tall, elegantly dressed man in the doorway. She could distinguish that he had long-ish black hair that reached his neck and blue eyes in contrast to Bruce's deep brown ones.

"James." Bruce said greeting his friend but his friend's focus was on Emily.

"Hey Bruce." He walked toward Emily. "James St. James." He said holding out his hand. She took it reluctantly and started to shake it but he brought her hand up to his lips. She laughed awkwardly as she brought her hand back down to her side and looked at Bruce with a slight smile on her face.

"Well…nice to meet you, Mr. St. James. I'm Emily Page."

"Emily." Bruce said as he stepped to her side and slid his arm around her waist instinctively. "I've known James since we were in diapers."

"I see."

"And he's notorious for trying to steal away women…from anyone." She turned to him, not moving away from Bruce's arm.

"Hmmm. That doesn't seem very nice Mr. St. James."

"I had to or Bruce, the fiendishly good one, would've had every girl." He said with a genuine smile and Emily could tell he was a bona fide friend. "Leaving none for us mere, not-so good, mortals."

"You hold your own." Bruce said.

"That I do. That I do." He said, his eyes darting between Bruce and Emily. "Well I was just wondering if Emily here would grace me with a dance but…" He looked pointedly at the arm around her waist and Bruce instantly snatched his back.

"Well…as long as you don't try to steal me away." She playfully said, stepping forward.

"I think that my efforts would be wasted." He laughed as she took his hand and as he led her back inside she glanced back at Bruce and smiled the secret smile before rolling her eyes and walking with James. After a moment Bruce went back inside and after their dance he immediately swept Emily away from James claiming he wanted her to meet someone. He led her around the room taking her to meet people _he_ actually could hold a conversation with.

"Wow, if I had known I would meet all these people I would've come a long time ago."

"I don't know. I liked our little mini birthday parties." He said as they walked into the outer hallway.

"I did too even if it only was a cupcake with a candle." She said. He looked at the clock and then looked back at her regretfully.

"I have…"

"To go." She finished. "Me too, I want to do some stuff before tomorrow night when I start my new job." They parted ways at the stairs, Emily going to the door and Bruce going to the Library.

---

Emily drove home in a delightful daze, not noticing it start raining; until she remembered that she would no longer be working at 'Batman Inc.' her nickname for her job. She got to her apartment building and ran as fast as she could in heels as rain showered down on her. After she had taken a shower and put on her pajamas she found herself too hyped up to sleep so she opened the big window that led to the fire escape and sat down with her new book on the window seat. After two hours she looked around her quiet apartment, suddenly feeling that she wanted the warmth of her bed. She marked the place in her book, closed the window, and started for her bedroom. As soon as she turned off the last light, leaving only her bedroom light on, she heard a loud thump outside the window she had just been sitting at. She debated whether to go towards the scary sound in the dark or dive into her room and call Gordon. Being more than a little tired and so ready to take on whatever wanted to ruin her perfect night she went over to the window. She inched towards the window and on the way picked up the bat she kept by her bookcase. When she got to the window she opened it quickly and raised the bat over her head. She found Bruce lying in a heap on her fire escape in the pouring rain. He looked up at her.

"I had hoped to catch you still in that dress." He groaned.

"Oh my god!" She said throwing the bat aside and helping stand up and step into her apartment. "What happened?" She led him to the couch and started checking him over and found blood seeping out of his leg, a long jagged cut running the length of the side of his thigh. "You're gonna need a new suit." She said running her fingers lightly over the wound.

"You're gonna need a new couch." He laughed in amazement, and in pain, at her disregard for her beige couch.

"Take it off." She said standing up, and he noticed that in the process of getting him inside her hair and shirt had gotten wet.

"What?"

"The suit. You need to take it off so I can fix you."

"Can't you just call-"

"Come on, Bruce. Don't get shy on me now." She put a hand on her hip and motioned for him to get into her bathroom. He stood up and limped to her bathroom. "Just put on the robe I have on the back door." She called once he had closed the door. Bruce looked up and saw that said robe was purple…and fluffy.

"You've got to be kidding me." He groaned.

"Just do it." She laughed before going into her room to get the first aid kit she had and then the kitchen to get a bottle of her best…vodka. "He's going to need it." She muttered and she turned around to see Bruce coming out of the bathroom. She clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling uncontrollably until she saw the wound, still leaking blood.

"All right come over here." She motioned for him to sit in the chair in front of her. He sighed and went towards her. He looked down at the chair and she patted the seat with a grim smile seeing the robe going past his knees.

"So does this robe go all the way down to your feet?" He asked in amusement.

"How can you make jokes?"

"Easily and without repentance." She rolled her eyes when he said this as she knelt in front of him and opened the kit. He looked down and all of the laughter in him went away. There she was, the woman he had not 12 hours ago been dreaming of, on her knees in front of him. The irony of it could strangle him, or put him in a very awkward position. She handed him a bottle.

"Hold this." She said not taking her eyes off of the cut.

"I don't drink."

"It's not for you." She said taking it back before pouring it on the wound and then taking a swig.

"What the hell?!" He bellowed as the searing pain of the alcohol on his leg hit him.

"I'm sorry! I don't have anything else to sterilize it."

"It's fine Sweet Pea." He said through clenched teeth. She wiped off his leg and started stitching up the cut.

"See? There you go. All better." She said happily. "I should've told you about the vodka though."

"It's fine. You did what you did to help me, thank you."

"Come on." She led him to her bedroom. "Go and sleep. I'll take the couch."

"Oh no you won't."

"Bruce, come on for once will you just not be the gentleman?"

"No."

"Fine, we'll both take the bed."

"No." He said simply and she gave him an exasperated look.

"What wrong with that?"

"So many things." He said, more to himself than to her.

"Oh come on." She pushed him further into her room. "We are two adults…" She started. _'And you just happen to want to jump his bones.'_ Her mind finished. "And I'm sure Alfred is still clearing out guests so he can't come and get you. It's only for a couple of hours. The bed is big enough for the both of us. "

"Alright, but as soon as morning comes you can have your bed back." He said as he looked down at her twin sized bed.

"So, where has Mr. James St. James been for the last 5 years?"

"Oh, that. He's been…traveling since his father died." He said, suddenly…jealous at the turn of the conversation.

"Why does it seem that everyone I know has a really sad story?"

"I have no idea. I'll sleep on top of the blankets and you can sleep under them." He said. She looked pointedly at the robe and got a pair of basket ball shorts and a large black shirt out of her drawer and tossed them to him.

"Where did you get these?"

"I buy clothes in the men's section to sleep in. They're very comfortable. I think you should sleep under the covers. I get really hot at night anyway." She said as he went into the bathroom to change.

"Well with your hair that wet you won't." He said this as he came out of the bathroom minus the robe, her hand went up to her hair and she felt that it was still dripping onto her equally wet tank top.

"Damnit." She cursed before going to her drawer and getting another shirt and going into the bathroom. Bruce sighed in defeat and got into the bed and when Emily came out she had taken her hair down and towel dried it and her new tank top was even more low cut than the last but she didn't seem to notice…or care. _'Just calm down and this will be all over.'_ Bruce repeated to himself in his head, but she was right there and she seemed deucedly unaware of how attractive she was to him…which made him all the more attracted to her. This was not going to work, not at all. Emily walked towards the bed she saw Bruce lying down, totally at ease. _ 'Just calm down and go to sleep.' _That sane part of her brain, the one that had yet to make an appearance in her life until now, said. _'Go away lame brain.'_ The other, hornier, part of her brain said.

"Wow." She muttered pulling a blanket over her as she lay down on the bed, facing away from Bruce.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Good night."

"Can you really say goodnight if I'm only sleeping for a couple of hours?" He asked in a tone that was only half joking. She turned over to face him and present him with a comeback but something made her stop. He was staring at her again, she noticed, and his eyes never left hers. He sat up slowly and she followed suit wondering if he was ok, but her fears were subsided when he reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand and dark look on his face.

"Are you ok?" She asked, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I just need…" He said gazing into her eyes and something ignited within her under his gaze.

"What do you need? I'll get it for you."

"I just need…you." He said. He tilted her chin up gently so that she was facing him and captured her lips. She softened beneath him, moaning against his mouth, and opened her mouth slightly allowing him access. The hand on his shoulder went to the nape of his neck and was joined by the other one as she deepened the kiss, putting all of emotion she had pent up over the years into it. A slow fire pooled in her belly.

When Bruce kissed Emily he had no idea it was gonna be this good… or that he wouldn't be able to stop himself. He had just wanted one more kiss before she was out of his life but now he knew he wanted-no- needed more. His hands slid to her waist and he urged her back gently until she was under him. She broke the kiss suddenly and put her hands on his chest.

"Your leg." She whispered.

"I'll be very careful." He whispered back.

"Bruce…I…" But he cut her off with the touch of his lips on her neck, his hand sliding up her side until it rested on the curve of her breast, still covered by her shirt. "I can't…"

"Can't what?" He asked with a seductive smile and he realized that this is what he had wanted, what he had hoped for.

"Think." She finished and pulled him back for another scorching kiss. Her hands moved under his shirt and as she ran her hands down his back he could've sworn her touch was like fire. She yanked the shirt up and sat up to pull it all the way off. She ran her hands over his nude torso, his wide shoulders, down along his abdomen until she reached the shorts that were hiding his erection. She tugged them down until they were at his knees, his erection jutting out and he quickly took them off before getting back to her.

"You're overdressed." He growled and his hands slid to the hem of her tank top and pulled it up, leaving a trail of kisses up her delicately rounded stomach in wake of the fabric.

"My god you're more beautiful than anything I could've imagined." He said as soon as he had her shirt off. He turned his attention to her generous breasts, his tongue finding her nipple as his hand caressed the other. She squirmed beneath him and she felt his hand slide down her side, tugging her sweats until he had to leave her breasts to take them all the way off.

"No panties?" He asked with a smile.

"I didn't really think you'd get into my pants tonight Bruce." She panted as his hand slipped down seeking the folds of her sex. Once he found that she was already wet and dripping he began to stroke her with the tip of his finger as he slipped his fingers inside of her. She cried out in pleasure at his touch and her hand flew to his head, her fingers lacing into his hair, her hips lifting off the bed thrusting onto his hand. His fingers deftly worked on her folds and his kissed his way up to her ear. She bit her lip to keep from blurting her true feelings.

"Come on, Sweet Pea." He coaxed against her ear and she could hear herself moan his name. "Come for me."

"Bruce, yes, oh!" She yelled as waves upon waves of pleasure crashed over her with her climax. He pulled his fingers away, and she almost cried out at the loss. She felt the tip of his shaft pushing between the folds that had just been pleasured with his fingers.

"Christ…Emily…I've wanted this for so long." He said, holding himself back.

"Me too." She whispered caressing his cheek and that was all it took. He plunged deep inside her and she gasped at the fullness of him inside her. She wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him as deep as she could as he pushed into her. She moved her hips, meeting each of his thrusts with just as much fervor. He groaned and quickened his pace, pushing her deeper into the mattress with each thrust.

"So…soft." He whispered. He touched her breasts, kissed her face, and murmured words he didn't even understand as he thrust into her again and again pushing them both to the edge of bliss. He held onto her wide, yielding hips and with one last powerful stroke, pushing himself over that edge, he emptied himself into her, reveling in the sensations of her muscles contracting around him. After the last wave of pleasure had subsided he collapsed beside her. She smiled at him shakily, still coming down from her second climax. He stood up and walked, naked, into the bathroom, his muscles rippling each time he took a step and she could help but stare. Before she could ask what he was doing she heard the faucet and he came back with a damp rag. He wiped the inside of her legs off, gently washing away any traces of their lovemaking before he got into the bed and gathered her up in his arms, pulling her close.

"To protect you from the cold." He murmured and she smiled again and snuggled closer, her soft body against his hard one.

"You're too kind." She mumbled happily. He reached down and pulled the covers over both of them and just before she fell asleep Bruce could have sworn he heard Emily mutter, 'Best birthday sex ever." It was only after she was completely asleep and he lay there next to her, his arm as her pillow that he realized what this meant for them, what this could mean for them. He really couldn't place it, this thing-this emotion building up inside of him, but he wanted to spend a long time, forever if he had to, figuring it out. Because she was Emily sweet, crazy, caring Emily…and she was his.

**After Author's Note: See? That'll teach you to not read the first author's not! So anyway, Review please. Hope you liked it! First sex scene…ever!**

**What's next for these two? Idk, let's find out!**


	6. If I Let You Love Me

**Chapter 6: If I Let You Love Me**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill kids!**

**A/N: Here it is, the 'after' as I like to call it. **

* * *

Emily woke up from a deep sleep a few hours later, happy and fully sated. She felt a strong arm wrapped around her waist and was happy and content to snuggle deeper into Bruce's embrace and go back to sleep. Life, however, had other plans for just as she closed her eyes again there was a knock on her front door. She groaned slightly and wiggled her way out of the bed, grabbing her robe on the way to the front door. She looked through the peephole and saw that it was Aimee…the last person she needed to see at that moment. She opened it slightly and poked her head out.

"Yeah?"

"Emmie, I just came to tell you…"She started but stopped when she tried to push the door open and Emily wouldn't let her in.

"You can't come in."

"Why not?"

"I was just getting ready to take a shower…See? I'm in my robe." She waved the belt of her robe out the door.

"So? I'll wait." She said and tried to push the door open again.

"You can't!"

"Why?"

"I have to leave right after."

"You are a terrible liar you have to work tonight…is there something-or someone you don't want me to see Emily Page?"

"No, of course not!"

"Emily Audrey Page! You have a man in your apartment!" She shrieked and Emily's eyes widened.

"Shhhhhhh….and that's not my middle name."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"I know it is! Please just go! I'll call you later I promise."

"Fine, but I better hear from you." She fixed her with a foreboding stare.

"Fine, fine. Whatever. Bye." She said hurriedly before shutting the door in Aimee's face. Aimee walked back down the hall excitedly and pulled out her cell phone. She couldn't wait to tell Alfred their plan had worked.

Emily leaned against the door a moment before heading back into her room. She leaned against the door frame and watched as Bruce slept peacefully, something she hadn't seen him do in a while. _'Wow.'_ She thought. _'If I had known that this would get rid of his nightmares, I would've saved us both the trouble.' _She smiled and went into the kitchen and started the coffee pot. She leaned against the counter and sighed, the consequences of what they had done weighing heavily on her mind. It wasn't until a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her waist that she retreated from her worries.

"Good morning." She said, slightly giggling when he kissed her neck.

"And how are you this morning Miss Page?" She looked at him over her shoulder.

"Well, I don't know but I really didn't get much sleep last night and there's this crick in my neck…." Her teasing was cut off by his lips on hers, hard and demanding. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, softening under him, the fire in her belly returning as quickly as it had last night. Before she knew it he lifted her up and sat her on the counter, opening the robe slightly. "Bruce…I…we…"

"I want you." He whispered in her ear, slightly nibbling on the lobe and effectively breaking down her defenses.

"If you insist." She said indulgingly and gave into his touch. After taking an _extra_ long shower, they got out feeling dirtier than when they went in. Bruce once again donned Emily's robe, making her laugh continuously and made the frightful call to Alfred. 25 minutes later he was knocking on her door. She watched in amusement from the couch, coffee cup in hand, as Alfred slowly entered the room eying Bruce.

"Master Wayne…what are you wearing?" And Emily almost giggled out loud.

"A robe Alfred." He said irritably.

"I can see that…but…why didn't you call me last night…sir?" At Alfred's question Emily tilted her head to the side and looked at Bruce questioningly with a smart-aleck smile on her face.

"I went to sleep after Emily stitched me up." He said easily.

"On the couch of course." Alfred added, handing him the bag that held his fresh business suit.

"Of…course." Bruce agreed after a minute and Emily let a little snort out on accident and received a glare from him.

"Well, boys, I've really got to get some sleep because…I have work tonight." She set her coffee cup down on the coffee table. "Sorry I can't visit Alfred." She gave him a quick hug and started for her room. When she got to the doorway she stopped and glanced back at Bruce standing in front of Alfred, who was talking to him, watching her walk away. _'Bye.'_ She said silently and put her hand up in farewell before going back into her room. After she had disappeared Bruce broke his gaze and focused his attention back on Alfred who was standing there holding the suit out to him.

"Sir?"

"Yeah, Alfred, I'm fine." He took the suit from him and went into her bathroom. When he came out he found Alfred thumbing through a book that had been left on the counter. He handed him the ruined bat-suit, and Alfred quickly set down the book and got a bag to put it in.

"We should go." He said and opened the door for Alfred. Before he followed Alfred out, he glanced back at Emily's sleeping form quickly, grabbed the book from the counter, and left.

---

Promptly at 5 o'clock Emily was walking into Gordon's office, ready to start her new job.

"Emily!" Gordon said happily, getting up from his desk and pulling her into a hug.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, here come with me. I'll show you to your office." He led her into a room filled with computer screens and at least 4 computer towers all centering around one round desk with keyboards set in front of each screen and a rotating chair. She sighed happily when she saw it, feeling completely at home.

"This is my office?"

"We're just barely starting to rebuild this division…after the explosion here we've been busy rebuilding everything else."

"For five years you haven't had a Cyber Crimes Unit?"

"I've been busy."

"Oh goodie…filing." She said sarcastically. "How'd you afford all of this equipment?"

"There was an anonymous donation two weeks ago." He told her.

"Anonymous…right." She set her bag down, put her jacket on the back of the chair, and started booting up all of the computers. "Thanks, Jim. I think I can take it from here."

"Ok, I'll come and check on you later."

"Thanks, oh! Wait! Where are the records?"

"They've already been put into the computer. Detective St. James will help you. He's the one who filed them."

"Detective…" She started when none other than James St. James walked through the door, looking totally different from that night at Bruce's party in jeans, a t-shirt, and an old jacket. "What are you doing here?"

"Just because I'm…" He looked at Gordon, who left without seeing the look, before going on. "Rich doesn't mean I can't have a normal job and I would appreciate if you kept it a secret."

"I'm pretty good at keeping secrets."

"I figured with the whole working for Bruce thing that you could."

"So…you know."

"Of course I know." He said and went

"Is there anyone that doesn't know?"

"I hope so." He said and moved towards the computers.

"And computer savvy to boot." She said when he showed her all of the programs. "Where did you learn about computers?"

"I was away for a while. I just got back last night actually. I figured I should at least be back for Bruce's birthday." He flashed her with a smile and went back to work. He had set everything up in about ten minutes and he excused himself when he got a phone call.

James St. James answered his phone, fully expecting it to be his partner demanding to know where the hell he was to sign off on some papers so that they could both go home after a tiring shift.

"I'll be there in a minute!"

'_What?'_ But it wasn't his partner, it was Bruce.

"Oh, it's you. Why…is it you?"

'_I need your help.'_ Bruce was one of the only people who knew that he could call him and ask for help anytime so he ducked into a stairwell.

"What is it?"

'_Emily.'_

"Oh! She's a nice girl. I had the pleasure of seeing her this afternoon. I set up her computers."

'_What?' _James could've sworn that Bruce's tone had turned jealous.

"You didn't tell me she would be working here!" He said in defense. "And just know that even you will be arrested for killing a police officer."

'_I didn't know you'd be coming back so soon.'_ Bruce murmured through the phone.

"Come on Bruce. You're my best-hell, you're my only friend. I'm not gonna steal your 'girl' away from you. Plus, I don't think I could if I tried, I saw how she looked at you the other night."

'_What do you mean?'_

"Bruce, if you can't see that that woman is three-quarters in love with you already I can't help you at all."

'_Just three-quarters.'_

"Considering you haven't had sex with her. Yes." When there was silence on the other end he sighed. "This is what you needed to talk about huh?"

'_Yes.'_

"The famous Bruce Wayne having girl troubles, who would have thought… I'll meet you in ten minutes at my penthouse." He shut his phone and went to find his partner. After signing his reports and clocking out he made his way out of the building. When he got to his penthouse Bruce was already waiting.

"So, you had sex." He said as he walked into his office.

"James…please tell me that I don't have to stop talking to you."

"Ok, ok. So what's the problem?"

"I don't want to scare her off."

"You should've thought of that before you did it!" He moved behind his desk and sat down. "Listen Bruce…all you can do is hope to god that she knows how you feel about the sex thing. I've never seen you this way buddy."

"I've never been this way…because this time it has to be different."

"She may need some time, Bruce. You must be patient young grasshopper." James said in a senseivoice and Bruce just shook his head.

--

Emily got to work on any of the open cases that were flagged and by 10 the next morning she was ready to go home. Nevertheless, she was still typing away at her computer when Gordon walked in.

"What are you still doing here?"

"I'm working Jim."

"Emily you've been here 16 hours you need to go home."

"I'm fine. I just need to finish this line of code." She said, not looking up at him but at the screen in front of her. He looked up and saw that all of the screens in the room were filled with lines and lines of ones and zeroes.

"Emily…"

"There! Done."

"Now you'll go home?"

"Yes." She stood up, yawned, and gathered her things. "Goodnight, Commissioner. See you tonight." She said after she had put on her long jacket, gave him a quick hug and was on her way. As she exited her new office her blackberry started ringing. She stuck her hand into her messenger bag and dug it out.

"Hello?"

'_Emmie, tell me what happened last night.'_

"Aimee…"

'_Did you have sex with Mr. Wayne? Was it amazing?'_

"Yes…" She paused for a moment. "And yes."

'_I knew it!'_

"Aimee." She sighed indulgently.

'_Was he all weird about it afterwards?'_

"No, not at all."

'_Not surprising but this is a great opportunity to have random sex with the guy.'_

"What?!"

'_Come on, Emmie. You are the yin to my yang but honey…you fall hard…and I want you to be sure that this-he is what you want…and before you say it…I know I'm the best friend you've ever had.'_

"I have to go." And Aimee could practically hear the smile over the phone. "Bye, Aims." Too tired to walk back to her apartment since she hadn't driven to work, she got to the edge of the sidewalk and looked around for a cab.

---

Bruce had almost slept through the whole meeting. Almost. His mind was wandering and always ended up at one time: a week ago. Back to one place: in Emily's bed. He knew that it was bad, he should be focused. But thought of her in his arms made him smile in his distraction. _She_ made him smile. She may have been a pain in the ass when she got her mind on something but she was quite possible the kindest person he'd ever met. She knew things about him he didn't even know. And they needed to talk the talk before anything went any further. He felt the need to talk to her, to see her and that's what he planned on doing.

Later that afternoon Emily, in jeans and a white tank top with her hair put up hastily into a bun, knocked on the door to Bruce's penthouse.

"What do you need? You said it was important so I rushed over here. Are you hurt? Is Alfred hurt? What happened?" She worried as she walked through the door before realizing he was still in his work suit.

"You don't have to work tonight, do you?" He led her to the couch and sat her down.

"No, my schedule at GCPD is like the one I had when I worked for you…On six days, off six. Now what's wrong?"

"Emily…I don't want you to think…What I'm saying is…"

"Oh…" She said finally after a couple of minutes of his failed attempts at starting his speech.

"What?"

"This is it."

"This is what?"

"This is the post mistake-sex-between-friends speech about being just friends again."

"That's not what I'm…"

"Bruce, I get it. I mean I've never actually had this conversation but I know what it is."

"Emily!" He finally yelled with a smile and she bit her bottom lip. "Please, just let me say what I need to say."

"Sorry, I was rambling."

"You do that when you're nervous."

"No I don't." She said

"Ok." He said and sat down by her. "Emily, I've made mistakes. A lot of mistakes in my lifetime. But that night…making love with you was not one of them." He looked straight into her eyes, the same look in his eyes that he'd had last week. She licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry.

"I just thought that…since we had been acting normal that we'd forget about it."

"I don't think that as long as I live I will be able to forget that night…and morning." He said as swept back a piece of hair that had fallen out of her bun.

"Bruce…I don't..." And she effectively forgot everything Aimee had said when she looked into his eyes. She stood up suddenly and walked around the table, putting some distance between them. "I don't want you to feel obligated to start something with me simply because we had sex…you know?"

"Emily…"

"I mean...I'm not the kind of girl you usually date. I don't go to fancy restaurants and dress like I'm going to a club…everywhere I go. I'm…just not."

"And I wouldn't change a thing about you." He said when she looked ready to start talking again.

"What?" She stood there, dumbfounded as he moved towards her again. Like a tiger stalking its next prey.

"I want you…for you. All of you."

"Sweet talker." She muttered just before his mouth came down on hers and they fell backwards into the couch. In the middle of his kisses Emily looked over and saw her _'Guilty Pleasures'_ book on the side table.

"That's where my book went! I knew I had heard that line before!"

"It worked though, didn't it?"

"Like a charm." She smiled and pulled him back for another kiss. Emily knew she should be having second thoughts about getting into a relationship with Bruce…as he carried her up to his room. She'd seen how different their worlds were first hand and she didn't care like she should. She didn't care that he had more money than King Tut or that he was a hero to so many people in Gotham. She only cared that he wanted her. For who she was, not who she wasn't or couldn't be. They made love as the sun set behind the buildings of Gotham, before he had to go. Afterwards they lay together, her head on his chest, his breath on her hair putting off his departure.

"Do you know what I just realized?" He asked.

"What?"

"We've never had a first date."

"I count the river as our official first date then." She said, lazily drawing circles on his chest, tracing all of his scars.

"So, my birthday was our second?"

"Which is good because I usually do put out on the third date…Generally speaking…"

"Generally speaking." He said and she laughed into his chest before looking up at him.

"You have to go Bruce."

"Are you gonna stay?"

"Yeah."

"You have some clothes here." She got up after he said this, taking the sheet with her and picked up his shirt.

"I think I'll wear this until you get back." She said as she put it on.

"This is the first time in a long time I've not wanted to go out."

"I'm sorry I make you not want to do that…Should I leave?" She asked playfully.

"Ok, ok. I'll be back in the morning." He said, walking into the bathroom to get ready. After he left Emily fell fast asleep in his bed and felt oddly like Goldilocks finding the perfect bed to sleep in.

----

**A/N: Dude, my ending was so cheesy. I love it! Hope you do too! Next chapter's gonna have some fluff and surprises…big surprises…monumental! Ok, it's not the Lincoln memorial but still… Oh, so review please!!**

**Love,**

**Lola**


	7. Closer to Love

**Chapter 7: Closer to Love**

**A/N: Here we go again! Oh yeah….more seks! Just a lil bit though. It was fun. I'm not gonna lie. **

* * *

Bruce walked the streets that night happier than he should be. He did, however, catch 3 drug dealers notorious for selling to kids and a known rapist. It had been a good night and it would be an even better morning once he got to his penthouse and into bed with Emily. When he got there though, instead of finding Emily he found a note on top of his shirt.

_Bruce,_

_I'm sorry. Aimee called me, crying, and I had to go get her. I'm so sorry.  
I'll talk to you later. Maybe we could go on our fourth official date. _

_Love, _

_Emily_

He crumpled the note up, threw it away and went to take a shower. He'd really been looking forward to spending time with Emily. A lot of time with Emily. It was just a couple of hours, right?

--

When Emily had gotten Aimee and Brandon's apartment she had seen her emotional pregnant friend slashing the tires on her husband's truck. She hung her head in dismay, put the car in park, and got out.

"Aimee!" She yelled.

"Oh! Good! You're here. Here," She handed her a kitchen knife. "Help me so we can leave."

"Aimee, you've got to stop!"

"Why? That cheating bastard wants to cheat let him! But let him have fun getting new tires for his stupid truck with no money!"

"Aimee, honey, come on. Let's go to my house." She said pulling her slowly away from the truck, eyeing the knife.

"Ok." She sniffled, suddenly more sad than angry. Emily led her to her car and drove to her apartment listening to the sad tale of her best friend walking in on her husband's philandering ways.

"Aims, I'm sorry." She said once she had sat her down on her couch.

"I mean...I'm pregnant with his child and he cheats on me?" She asked and put her hand on her stomach. "I'll take care of you baby girl, all by myself if I have to."

"And of course you're auntie Emily will help." She said to Aimee's stomach then looked back to Aimee. "Remember that next you want to slash someone's tires."

"Should've gotten his seats too." She muttered, and Emily let out a short laugh before she turned to her. "What do I do now? I mean…I cleaned out his bank account and the joint bank account. It's a lot of money."

"Sounds like you need a lawyer."

"A top notch lawyer that he will pay for! I'll let the state appoint him one when he's arrested."

"Arrested?"

"Oh yeah, I kind of…planted child porn on his computer and sent an anonymous e-mail to the cops…"

"Remind me never to piss you off."

"Emmie, thank you for coming and getting me."

"Anytime, Aims anytime." And they sat on Emily's couch, Aimee's head on her shoulder. Later that night when Aimee had finally gone to sleep on Emily's couch Emily debated on whether to call Bruce. She should probably wait but she didn't want him to worry. "I'll call him in the morning." She decided and went to bed, hoping to dear god he didn't show up and scare Aimee. The next morning Emily went down to the Police Station with Aimee to get her schedule, but was informed by Gordon that it wasn't ready yet. When she exited his office she found that Aimee was not in the waiting area. She looked around but couldn't find her; finally she decided to go to her office and figured that Aimee would find her there. She did, but not without bringing someone along with her.

"Hi, Emmie."

"Oh, hi. Now we can go…" She stopped when she saw James enter after Aimee.

"Emily, this is James…"

"St. James." She finished. "We know each other Aims. We work here."

"Of course…I knew that. Anyway, James and I are going to go get some lunch."

"Aimee…"

"Emmie, I'm fine to go to lunch."

"Emily, don't worry. I'll take good care of her…in her delicate condition." He said, motioning slightly to her stomach.

"You'd better." Emily muttered as they left and instantly regretted letting them leave. Aimee was at an emotional state in her life and didn't need James St. James sweeping her off her soon to be swollen feet….and she wasn't even divorced! "Oi." She murmured and as she was walking out of the police station her phone rang. "Hello?"

'_Emily?'_ Bruce's voice came through the phone.

"Oh! Bruce, I'm sorry I didn't call last night Aimee…"

'_It's ok. Want to get some lunch? You look famished.'_

"What? Where are you?" A smile instantly broke out on her face and she looked around until she found him across the street. She closed her phone and crossed the street. "Hi."

"Hi." He said and leaned down to kiss her and she melted like butter.

"So, how was last night and the night before? Everything go ok?" She asked after they had broken away, her face worried now.

"Better than fine."

"No injuries?"

"Nope, you can do a full body check if you want." He said with a smirk.

"Maybe later…if you're lucky." She said. She started walking and he followed.

"How was your night at the penthouse? Did you sleep well?"

"I did sleep very well actually. You're bed is like heaven but fluffier." She said and he smirked.

"It was imported from London."

"Really?" _'Don't you ask him how much, you'll only doubt this relationship if you do._' Her brain said so she took a deep breath and kept walking.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"What? Nothing... Bruce, as much as I want this relationship…or whatever this is to work…I've seen the differences between our worlds. I know its kind of late to be having doubts….do you not think about this stuff? Or am I the only one who's going stark raving mad?" He shook his head.

"Emily, if I cared about what people thought about whom I dated or the differences in our background…I would still date you."

"Wow…if I had known you were gonna pull that out I wouldn't have even brought it up." She said playfully.

"Where do you want to eat?"

"There's a nice little bistro just up the street. My treat?" When he made a face, she added, "Bruce. This is how relationships, or whatever, work: Lunch, dinner, splitting the bill, paying for each other."

"I know." He said gruffly when they arrived at the bistro.

"Bruce, don't make that face. I'm more than happy to pay for you."

"I'm more than happy to pay for you too." He pointed out.

"Not the same." She said as the waiter showed them to her seat. "I never get to buy things for you and I have a feeling I'm not going to have many chances in the future."

"So what happened to Aimee?" He asked.

"She caught…her husband cheating on her."

"Oh."

"Yeah but she also cleaned out his bank account and their joint account…and then put child porn on his computer..."

"Remind me never to piss her off." He said.

"And then…she slashed his tires on his new truck…and now she's out with James."

"As in…St. James?"

"Yes and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing." After lunch had gone so smoothly, and Emily had paid, they went for a walk in the park.

"I know it's going to be hard trying to 'date' me." He said suddenly.

"What?"

"I know this is going to be hard and we're going to have to work at it….but I want to. I can't change the fact that I lead a double life or that I'm stalked by the journalists of Gotham."

"Bruce, I've dealt with that for 6 years. You think I'm gonna give up on you now? No way. Listen," She started again when didn't say anything. "Right now we're just….friends who…"

"Have seen each other naked?" He interrupted and she started to laugh.

"Exactly. I mean…you know…considering I just gave in without any question and fell into bed with you and we're not gonna let the sex change us. Nothing serious…not yet…"

"Oh so there's hope?"

"There's always hope." She answered with an honest smile and they kept walking. When they got close enough Bruce slipped his hand into hers. After their walk in the park they headed to Emily's apartment, but not before a journalist behind the bushes took their picture. Just before dusk they parted ways at Emily's door and an hour later Aimee waltzed in.

"Where have you been?"

"Where have _you_ been?" She countered.

"I was with…Bruce."

"I was with James…and don't say anything we just had lunch and talked."

"I wasn't gonna say anything."

"Liar…I can read you sweeting, you were going to say 'Aimee, you need to remember that you're not divorced yet.' Right?"

"No." She said after a minute and then grinned.

"Well you'll be happy to know that I actually did file for divorce today and soon I will be done with that cheating man-whore."

"Why would I be happy about divorce?" A couple of months later she woke up to the sound of laughter in her kitchen. One voice she could discern as Aimee's but the man's voice she couldn't place. It couldn't have been Bruce's his was a bit lower that this one's. She stuck her head out of the bedroom door and gasped at what she saw. There in her kitchen, at her table, was none other than James St. James eating pancakes with Aimee, who was now officially divorced and 4 months pregnant. She took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen.

"Oh! Hi, Emmie! We made pancakes!" She said with the enthusiasm of a 3-year old.

"Hi." She turned to James. "What are you doing here?"

"I-"

"He came to see me." Aimee cut him off.

"Oh really?"

"Well, both of you…." He said but didn't look at her and looked at Aimee.

"And…"Aimee started, her face serious.

"What?"

"You should see this." James pushed a copy of _The Gotham Times_ towards her. When she picked it up a huge glaring headline stared back at her: **Bruce Wayne and Mystery Woman enjoy stroll in Gotham Park** and then in smaller letters: **Who is she? Not one of his usual conquests to be sure.** Under the headline was a picture of them laughing as they walked through the park that day months ago and she closed her eyes as if in pain.

"Gordon and Lucius are gonna kill us."

"What about Alfred?" James asked.

"Aimee!" She said lightly but was still annoyed. "Why don't you tell him?" Aimee's mouth turned upwards in a grin.

"We pretty much got them together." She told him.

"I'm glad someone's been messing in my best friends' life while I was away." He said.

---

Across town in Wayne Tower Lucius Fox picked up the exact same paper that Emily had just read and almost choked on his coffee. He stared at the picture for a couple of seconds before his face darkened in anger. How could she not tell him? How could he date her? He had trusted Bruce to take care of Emily. Not turn her into one of his…conquests! And she let him! Lucius grabbed his coat and put it on as he walked out the door of his office. As Lucius was walking out of his office across town Commissioner James Gordon was doing exactly the same thing for he too had just read the article that was in _The Gotham Times_ and was on his way to Emily's apartment.

--

"Well I might as well take a shower and get dressed." Emily sighed after she had finished her cup of coffee.

"Why?" Aimee asked.

"Well because any minute now Lucius or Gordon or Gordon and Lucius are going to be knocking on that door. So I might as well." Approximately 35 seconds after she had taken a shower and gotten dressed there was a knock in the door. "See?" She asked Aimee and opened the door, a big smile on her face, to a very angry Lucius and Gordon. "Hi, guys. Boss man…Godfather." They pushed past her and stood in the middle of the living room…glaring. "Could you stop glaring?" She asked.

"No!" They answered simultaneously.

"Ok." She said and retreated. Aimee stifled her laughter in the background.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucius asked.

"We just wanted to be sure that we wanted to date before we told anyone."

"Why him?" Gordon asked.

"What do you mean, why him?"

"I mean…why someone who will more than likely disappoint you? I don't want to see you hurt."

"I'm a big girl Jim. Even if I do get hurt…which I won't." She said quickly. "I think I'll be able to handle it all by myself."

"Emily I've known you for 12 years. I know when you're hurting and I just think that Mr. Wayne is a…"

"Is a what?" Came a new voice from the doorway. They all looked up to see Bruce standing in the doorway and Aimee almost fell out of her chair laughing. She stood up quickly and went into Emily's room to laugh.

"Oh! Bruce. How are you?" Emily smiled.

"Fine, thank you. So what's with the family gathering?" He asked as the glares from Lucius and Gordon turned on him.

"Oh well….this." She handed him the paper.

"I see." He said slowly.

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry." He said to her.

"It's fine, I'm not worried actually….it's them you have to worry about." She looked at Gordon and Lucius who were still glaring.

"Emily is my girlfriend." He stated in a businesslike manner to the two men. "I know you both care for her and I do too. I don't plan on hurting her in any way. Would you like to join us for lunch?" He asked, still very calmly and Emily looked at him with a slight smile on her face.

"So we're going to lunch?"

"Yes." He turned to her, his face softening a bit.

"I will go too." Lucius muttered.

"Me too." Gordon murmured, looking deep in thought.

"Aimee?" Bruce called.

"Be right there!" She called back and when she entered the room they saw that she had changed. "I'm so hungry."

"You had pancakes with James earlier!" Emily said. "Where is James?"

"The precinct." Bruce answered. "Shall we?" He said and ushered them out the door. At lunch Emily watched Bruce charm her boss and godfather all over again while stealing surreptitious glances at her. 'Such a sweet talker.' She thought and silently smiled to herself before Aimee interrupted her thoughts.

"You're boyfriend is such a sweet talker. I mean if I wasn't pregnant, getting a divorce, and I didn't love you to death I'd be all over that. He's like Obama, so charismatic."

"He's nothing like Obama…trust me." She smiled.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. You haven't seen Obama naked." After lunch they all said their goodbye's at the restaurant's door. Aimee went back to her own apartment now that it was empty, Lucius went back to Wayne Tower, and Gordon went back to work which left only Emily and Bruce to go home together.

"You handled that really well." Emily said once they got to the penthouse.

"Did I?" He said feigning innocence.

"Of course you did sweet talker, but…I was getting kind of fond of sneaking around with you."

"Oh you were?"

"Yeah but I guess we'll never know."

"We could always pretend that today never happened." He said and pulled her against him.

"Could we now?" She asked as he lowered his head to hers.

"Of course we could." He said before he lowered his head down to kiss her. She stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck. A shudder ran down his spine. A low moan escaped from his throat as he hitched both of her legs up around his waist her heels falling off in the process. She pulled back breathless.

"You're not going to be able to hold me up." She laughed.

"You are perfect." He whispered and carried her up the stairs, if only to prove a point, raining kisses all over her face and neck. On the way up she worked at opening the buttons to his shirt while simultaneously taking off her own. She kissed his strong throat as his tie came undone at her lithe fingertips. He laid her down on the bed and slowly, almost reverently, starting unrolling her stockings savoring every whimper that passed through her lips. "Bruce, oh!" She pleaded when he starting kissing up from her ankle until he reached the folds of her sex, taking her clitoris into his mouth without hesitation. She arched her back, crying out. He placed her knees over his shoulders and feasted on her until she was murmuring incoherently. He brought her to the brink of orgasm before he stopped abruptly.

"Bruce, please!"

"Please what?" He asked, placing kisses on her thighs.

"Make…me…come…" She moaned and he went back to work. She grasped for the headboard of his bed and held on tightly. The orgasm was shattering and when she came down from the euphoria of it, with him murmuring everything and nothing in her ear. She felt his big erection against her and she steeled herself again for another orgasm. She wrapped her legs around his thighs pulling him closer and tilted her hips up to receive him. He braced his hands on the mattress around her and pounded deeper into her and deeper still until their movements became frenzied and frantic. Their breathing became shorter and with a groan they came at once together. He collapsed to the side of her, still breathing hard.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of that." She breathed heavily and he smiled, fully ready to do it again. Later, when Emily was secure in sleeping Bruce's arm she whispered the three words that she couldn't bring herself to say out loud. "I love you."

---

A couple of days later Emily and Aimee were at Emily's house watching 'Zach and Miri Make a Porno'.

"Emmie, do you really love Bruce?" She asked when the sex scene came on, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth.

"What?"

"I mean have you told him?"

"Told him…."

"That you loved him duh!"

"No, I haven't because I don't love him. We've only been dating a couple of months."

"Coward."

"Don't call me a coward Aimee! I'm just not disillusioned about sex."

"Like romance novel heroines are?"

"Exactly."

"Well maybe…because you're in love… you should be."

"Disillusioned?"

"Yes. It's clear that you both adore each other."

"Ok you need to stop with the romance novels while you're this hormonal. You're really going soft." She said this but deep down something told her that Aimee was right and that scared the hell out of her. The next night she went to work and decided to become disillusioned the very next day. She walked out of office and nearly ran into Bruce.

"Bruce! What are you doing here?" He smiled a pulled a bouquet of roses from behind his back.

"Wow what a trick. You're sure you're not a magician?"

"I'm sure." He said and planted a kiss on her lips. Afterwards she looked around and saw that everyone in the hallway had stopped what they were doing to look at them. She also noticed that every woman in the hallway looked a bit jealous.

"Let's go." She said and pulled him down the hallway. They got into his car and he drove them to her apartment. "We're not going to the penthouse?"

"No, I think we need to be alone."

"Oh." They were silent the rest of the way to the apartment. Once in the apartment, after Emily had taken a shower they sat on the couch. "So what's up?"

"I have to go to London."

"How long will you be gone?"

"3 Days."

"That's not so bad. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

"Bruce…." She started but chickened out and kissed him instead. Maybe it was best not to tell him just yet. God, she was acting like a stupid heroine. It was just three words. How bad could it be? I. Love. You. Apparently too hard. She was a coward. Maybe she could handle being a coward a little bit longer.

* * *

**A/N: There you go! Hope you liked it! If you didn't…I am SO sorry!**

**Less than 3! ~ Lola**


	8. What I'm Trying to Say

**Chapter 8: What I'm Trying to Say**

**A/N: I KNOW it's taken really really long. Sorry for the wait.**

* * *

"Expect me to be calling you." Bruce said as he put his arms around Emily's waist at the jet hangar.

"To see if I'm ok when you're not around?" She asked with a slight giggle.

"Exactly." He said and pulled her into another passionate kiss. They were interrupted by Alfred coughing discreetly behind them. They pulled away with smiles on their faces and looked at him.

"Alfred…Bruce will be gone for 3 days and…Ok, that's not very long." She turned to Bruce. "It's true but just think, in 72 hours you'll be back. It's really not that long and maybe we're just over exaggerating." She said and gave him another kiss. "Now go!" She ushered him towards the plane.

The moment Bruce stepped on the jet and saw Emily waving with a sad smile on her face he wanted to deplane and drag her straight back to her apartment or his, whichever was closer. At that sad smile his heart twisted and he almost told the pilot to stop. Usually at 5 in the morning he was climbing into bed with Emily, but today he was leaving her and it was killing him. Once in London Bruce sat in a room and negotiated a merger of a small British company into Wayne Enterprises. The meeting did nothing to help him get his mind off of Emily. When he thought of her he just didn't feel as alone as he had for the past couple of years. Now she was his. Each time somebody asked him a question they had to pull him out of some fantasy about her. This was going to be a long trip. Once out of the business meeting at midnight and into his hotel room Bruce pulled out his cell phone and called Emily.

'_Hello?'_ She answered in an exasperated tone.

"Hey Sweet Pea."

'_Bruce! How are you? How's London?'_ She asked breathing heavily.

"I'm fine and I'm pretty sure London's fine. What are you doing?"

'_Yoga. Sorry.'_

"No it's ok." He said and she knew he was remembering the time he walked in while she had been doing yoga.

'_Yes, yes I remember it too.' _She said, annoyed when he started laughing_. 'I was doing the downward facing dog and I didn't even know you were there…staring at my butt. What a great employer you were.'_

"It was a good view."

'_Yeah right…' _She said and paused_. 'I wish you were here.'_ They talked for more than an hour before finally ending the call, both of them not wanting to. Hours after he had called Emily Bruce lay in bed trying to fall asleep but he couldn't and the fact that he couldn't sleep without her by his side both scared him and comforted him. The next day at the merger meetings the company finally gave in and agreed to sell to Wayne Enterprises. Before they had even said their goodbyes Bruce was out the door in his usual graceful way and on the jet back to Gotham.

---

The day after Bruce had called; Emily picked up lunch and drove to Lucius' house in suburbs of Gotham. When he answered the door she held up the bag of food and he let her in with a smile.

"Lucius! I just felt that we haven't spent a lot of time together lately so I brought your favorite: Chicken a la Bunda from that restaurant, Ashley's! The one you first took me to when I moved here? Remember? When I was your favorite goddaughter and not a horrible one?"

"That was very kind of you and you're not a horrible goddaughter."

"Lucius, you're ok with me dating Bruce right? I know it's late to be asking permission…"

"I give you my blessing to date Mr. Wayne Emily but it just was a shock to learn it from a paper."

"I know and I am so sorry Lucius."

"I know you are and I forgive you."

"Thanks."

"Emily the only reason I disapproved in the first place was because I was worried about you."

"I know...and I love you for it. I mean I loved you anyway because you're like a father to me but I think I'll be ok with this one."

"Ok but just know...I don't care about my job if he hurts you." She laughed and went to give him a hug.

"Oh I love ya Lucius."

"You too, Buttercup."

"So I'm Buttercup again?"

"You were always my Buttercup." She sat back down and they ate their lunch while talking. A couple of hours later, at dusk, Emily was driving home after picking up a mound of files from the office and her phone rang.

"Hello?"

'_Emmie, James wanted me to ask you to dinner.'_

"Uh, not to tonight Aims. I'm just getting home from Lucius'."

'_Oh! So you went to see the man who's like a father to you who you….love.'_

"Yes." She said not quite getting where the conversation was going yet.

'_So do you tell him you love him?'_

"Aimee, I will not, repeat not, discuss this again. I will tell Bruce when I feel I can! God you're like a mother!"

'_I am a mother!'_

"Not yet and not mine." There was silence on the opposite end of the line.

'_So?'_ She asked indignantly.

"Aimee, oh I love you so."

'_I know. Dinner tomorrow?'_

"Sure." She parked next to the curb and walked up to her apartment, balancing her keys and bag in one hand and the files on the other. She finally got into her apartment when she got inside she almost dropped her files…and then she did. She screeched happily at the sight of Bruce and ran as fast as she could in heels. "You're home!" She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and he spun her around. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too Sweet Pea." He said with a smile and gave her a long kiss. "This," He said. "I missed."

"How was it? Did the merger go ok?"

"Great and yes."

"That's great." She said and looked around at the dropped files and open door, realizing she was still being held up. "Sorry. I got a little too excited."

"I like holding you."

"Fine but when you're pulled down by my weight, don't blame me." She said and he glared at her for the comment.

"Take it back." He said.

"You're a child!" She laughed.

"I'm not going to let you down and even if I do, you forget that I know where you are ticklish."

"Fine I take it back. Now put me down sweet talker." She smiled.

"I think I'm gonna need another kiss for that request."

"Oh, I think I can do that." She said planting another kiss on his lips. He carried her towards her room, not wanting the kiss to end. He kicked the front door shut on the way, almost falling, and making Emily laugh. "That's the first time I've ever seen you not be your usual graceful self." She said and he grimaced. "And here I was thinking I wasn't dating a human."

"I'm human."

"Oh I can feel that." She laughed seductively and Bruce carried her the rest of the way. Hours later they lay in bed, panting. "I can't believe we had sex like 4 times. New record. Listen Bruce I think I need to tell you something." She said, still lying down, turning her head towards him.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really." She smiled and looked at the ceiling. "I need to tell you that I…I love you." There. She said it and she didn't really care if he said it back. She'd had to say it though because she had felt like she was gonna burst at any moment. When she looked back over at him a smile graced his lips.

When she had said those words joy spread through his body. He couldn't explain what was different or wrong with him but she had said it and this time she knew he was awake and could hear her.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"No." He couldn't explain what was happening to him. The happiness of hearing those words said to him overtook him. "Say it again." He said gruffly, moving over her.

"I love you." She whispered and he saw the truth in her eyes, and still was unable to say it back. The words he hadn't heard since his parents died and they were caught in his throat.

---

"So you said it?!" Aimee screeched the next night at dinner, maneuvering her way around her pregnant belly.

"Yes." Emily said and took a drink of her beer.

"Did he say it back?"

"Not…Exactly."

"So was it a _Mistress _'I love you' or a…well I can't really think of a good I love you scene…Oh! I got it! Was it a _Mistress_ 'I love you' or a _What Happens in London_ 'I love you'?" At her silence Aimee said, "At your silence I'm gonna say it was the first one…You were silenced with penis weren't you?!"

"Yes!" She said touchily. "Yes I was and you know what? It was great!"

"At least he lived up to true 'hero' etiquette…and it was great." Aimee conceded and went back to her food, not knowing that James had heard the whole thing…And didn't understand it at all.

---

The next day Bruce was pretending to be asleep at the end of the long table where a meeting was taking place. He should've been paying attention, he knew, and Emily's disappointed face when she had told him she loved him shouldn't have been swimming in his head, but it was. It was and it was numbing. No woman should be able to have such a hold on him. She shouldn't have been able to bring him down unintentionally with a look. But she did. She shouldn't be able to break his heart with a smile but she could and that scared him. It scared him deep down in that place where he kept his feelings locked up so tight that he wouldn't get hurt. After the meeting Bruce went to go see James at the precinct, not really wanting to. Every time he went Bruce was back at that night when the police had found him and had taken him to the precinct where Gordon had stayed with him until Alfred got there.

"Hey buddy, what's up?" James asked once they were safely in the empty stairwell.

"I need your help."

"I already told you she loved you."

"The problem with you dating her best friend is apparent."

"Hey, is it my fault that I happened to hear them last night?"

"Yes. You practically live with her."

"Well she doesn't know I'm rich if that's any consolation."

"It's not."

"In any case it's not like Emmie said anything bad about you."

"Emmie?" He said and narrowed his eyes.

"Emily. Sorry."

"What did she say?" Bruce asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"Well Aimee was very excited that Emily finally told you. It was very touching. Anyway, then they were talking about penis. I'm assuming yours." He said and Bruce sighed. "Then Aimee said something really weird…she said you lived up to 'hero etiquette'…whatever that means."

"I know what it means. You'll learn about this someday I assume."

"What does it mean?"

"Romance novels I'm assuming."

"You assume a lot. Romance novels?" He said dubiously.

"Yes, and I really don't know if it was a compliment or an insult."

"Bruce, me and Aimee have only known each other for a couple of months. But you, you and Emily have been tiptoeing around each other for years. Or so I'm told." He said and Bruce looked away. "I'm assuming it's true now that you looked away. Bruce I know that when Rachel died you hurt. I know that you were hurt bad, I was there. But Rachel….she had moved on. She was dating someone else for god's sake! Rachel was 6 years ago, Emily is now. She's here right now, and maybe if you can't accept that…you shouldn't be with anyone." He said and left Bruce in the stairwell when he got a call.

----

A couple of months later Bruce was walking back to Emily's apartment building when he smelled chocolate from down the hall and when he got closer he smelled…burning chocolate. He hurried and opened the door and found Emily, covered in chocolate, standing in the kitchen glaring at the closed stove.

"Emily? Are you ok?"

"I tried to make brownies and…err…it didn't go very well. As you can see." He laughed before walking over to her.

"I think that we should leave the cooking to bakers…maybe?"

"I'm coming around to your way of thinking." She said when she opened the stove and smoke came out. "At least it didn't catch on fire…this time."

"Were you baking earlier too?"

"Maybe." She smiled. "I was trying to make brownies for you! I know cooking is not my strong suit but I thought maybe I could…but I can't. I've realized that now." She turned to him finally, stood on her tip toes and gave him a kiss.

"I brought you something." He said and she noticed he'd had a hand behind his back.

"Bruce, I told you not to buy anything for me!" She said sternly. He pulled a book shaped present wrapped in purple wrapping paper with black bow. "What is it?" She asked even though she could fathom a guess as to what it was already.

"Just open it Sweet Pea." She smiled at him and ripped open the wrapping paper, pulling the bow out of the way. She looked down and saw that it was a hard cover copy of her favorite book, _Guilty Pleasures._

"Bruce! How did you get this? There's no such thing as a Laura Lee Guhrke hardcover copy."

"I have my ways. Don't look so surprised Sweet Pea."

"I love it. Thank you! But…I think that I should show you my gratitude." She said turning off the oven and setting her new book on the table.

"Well, gratitude is much appreciated." He said as she pushed him backwards towards the couch.

"Oh yes it will be." She said and they tumbled onto the couch, falling on the floor only seconds after, laughing…and then kissing. A while later after they had gotten back on the couch, Emily was tucked sideways under a blanket between the couch back and Bruce, asleep. As she slept Bruce thought on what James had said. He looked down at her sleeping form and decided. He had loved Rachel yes but Rachel he had known since he was a child. Emily was this whole new being who wasn't after his money or connections or was trying to 'fix' him. All she wanted was to love him and all she wanted from him was to love her in return and he did….He did, he realized with glistening clarity. He loved Emily. It had taken him a while to realize it. He looked down on her sleeping form and decided he was going to do anything to convince her that it was true.

When Emily woke up alone on the couch, to the smell of something cooking, she yawned and looked around.

"Bruce?" She sat up and looked around scratching her head.

"In here." He called and she turned to the kitchen to see him, in his boxers, cooking.

"What are you cooking?" She asked, surprised.

"Breakfast for dinner." She got up off the couch, wrapping the blanket around her, and went over to him.

"Wow. If I had known you could cook I never would've even tried."

"I picked up a few things."

"I haven't had pancakes since…" She started when she saw what he was cooking, and then stopped suddenly. "Since whenever."

"I know Sweet Pea." He said wrapping his arm around her. "Why don't you sit down at the table?"

"I think I'm gonna put some clothes on first." She said.

"Oh darn." He said playfully as she left. She came back out in one of his large t-shirts.

"Don't I look stunning?"

"Remarkable." He said, and meant it.

"Why don't we eat breakfast for dinner in bed?"

"Great idea." He said and followed her back into the bedroom. After they had eaten they were playing cards and laughing at each other's loss.

"I had a dream in London." He said.

"Really? Was it because you were asleep?"

"Sweet Pea, don't make me tickle you."

"Ok go on."

"In my dream I had fallen asleep with you by my side."

"I like this dream of yours."

"But when I woke up you weren't there."

"Oh no."

"And my dream self thought, What if I'd never known her name? What if I'd never met Emily Page?"

"Well first of all…you wouldn't be sitting in my bed playing bullshit and…well I probably wouldn't have done all the things I've done to you."

"Oh well that would be hell."

"And I'm here now! You're dream was a figment of your very overactive imagination." She said and leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead. "You'd better go." She told him when she looked out the window.

"I know." He said. He started to get up when she pulled him back onto the bed and into a kiss.

"Sorry, I just can't help myself." She said and smiled up at him. He kissed her again before going into the bathroom. He stood in the mirror wondered why he didn't just tell her. She made it sound so easy to say…but then again she was always sure of what she was saying. She spoke her mind and knew that whatever the repercussions she could handle them because she was just that kind of woman. Smart, funny, and he knew that he really didn't deserve her. How could this woman make him feel so helpless? He was supposed to be Gotham's protector and Emily Page could bring him down with a glance of her big brown eyes.

* * *

**There you go kids! Now, Nut up or Shut up and review! Just kidding...I don't like being one of those pushy author's who's like 'REVIEW I KEEL YOU!' I just wanted to quote Zombieland. ****To quote the Pixies, even though I'm not a guy, "I'm a humble guy, with healthy desires."**

**Loves, **

**Lola 3 Have a great day kids. **


	9. On Call

**Tempting Batman**

**Chapter 9: On Call**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this beast we call Batman. **

**A/N: Sup? Well, so, I had a bit of blockage in the brain for a wHile but all better(a part of that is due to The Big Bang Theory)! Hope you like this chapter! **

* * *

Bruce and Emily were walking in the park, sharing one of the rare moments where neither of them was dead on their feet from exhaustion.

"Do you want to get a hot dog?" He asked and she looked around, suddenly conscious of their surroundings.

"How about we just eat in?" She asked hopefully.

"What's the matter, Sweet Pea?"

"It's just the last time we were out…I was in the morning paper."

"So was I."

"You're always in the morning paper, honey. You're Bruce Wayne."

"Emmie…"

"Bruce I just don't want all of this," She motioned to her body. "On the front page."

"Sweet Pea." He said sternly.

"What?! I know I'm not skinny Bruce and so do you. I came to terms with it a long time ago."

"Well you're certainly not fat." He said.

"Ok, what am I then?" She said, stopping him.

"You're…voluptuous."

"Oh, am I now?"

"Yes and I love every inch of you." He said, put his arm around her and continued.

"That's sweet Bruce but…"

"Here I want to show you something." He pulled her along the pathway, out of the park and to the penthouse building.

"Why are we at the penthouse?"

"I told you I wanted to show you something, now cover your eyes." She looked at him incredulously.

"Just do it Sweet Pea."

"Fine." She said with a sly smile, put her hand over her eyes, and let him lead her. She felt them get into the elevator, and also felt that the ride was much longer than it usually was. Once out of the elevator he took her up a flight of steps, holding her hand the whole way. She heard him open a door and felt a breeze rush past her. "Where are we?"

"Open your eyes." She removed her hand and saw that they were on the roof. She looked up at the sky and was amazed at how beautiful the city was in the sunset, streaked with dark reds and yellows.

"It's beautiful." She looked over and saw a futon sitting next to a small fire pit. "Come up here a lot?"

"I used to. Yes."

"Why not anymore?"

"Well I don't seem to have time anymore. You see I've been slumming it with this voluptuous brunette."

"Oh, well…what if she catches us?" She said, pulling him closer by the lapels.

"I don't think she'll mind." He smiled and put his hands around her waist, pulling her into a kiss. As his lips touched hers Bruce knew that he could not go on pretending that his life was normal, that he could be in a relationship with someone who was good and sweet. He knew that sooner or later he was going to disappoint her. He would hurt her and as much as he didn't want to he just hoped it would be later rather than sooner.

On a roof across the city Commissioner James Gordon and his team were chasing a woman in a provocative clown suit. Harley Quinn, she had called herself right after she had shot two of his officers. They reached the end of the building and she stopped at the ledge the police running after her, their guns drawn and pointed straight at her.

"There's nowhere to go Harley." Gordon shouted.

"There's always somewhere to go Gordy." She laughed and looked back down the building. "Tell Bruce…I mean Batman to just try and catch me. And when he does catch me. Tell him to be ready, for the wrath of the Joker and all criminals he has locked up will be upon him." She smiled at him before jumping off into the night. The police ran after her to the edge of the building to where she had jumped and found that there was no trace of her. Gordon clenched his jaw and motioned for his team to follow him off the roof.

The sky had gotten darker and they were still on the futon.

"How is it that I always end up naked around you?" Emily asked, pulling the blanket under her arms. "And why is there a blanket up here?"

"I would get cold."

"Well it's a good thing." She smiled, cuddling deeper into his embrace. "You know what else I always seem to be doing around you?"

"What?"

"Smiling."

"You smile anyway, you're a very happy person." He said, and realized that unlike other women she hadn't pushed him to say…that back. That huge space between them, that thing was holding him back from truly letting himself go. Her head was resting on his chest, her hair in the wind tickling his nose, and he realized he really did want to tell her. To finally get the burden of loneliness off of his shoulders and share his life with someone else. "Emily…I…" She looked up at him.

"Yes?" He was about to say it when both of their phones rang. She sighed and dug into her pant pockets with one hand while holding the blanket to her in the other. "Hello?" It was Gordon. A few seconds later his rang too….It was Alfred and Lucius. This could not be good. After they had both closed their phones they looked at each other with disappointed faces.

"We need to go." He said and she just nodded as they started to put their clothes on.

Once Emily got to the precinct and Bruce got to Wayne Enterprises they were filled in on what had happened earlier that night. Harley Quinn was their new enemy and they had to figure out who she was and why she had come into being before it was too late.

Two days later they both got to Emily's apartment thoroughly exhausted and collapsed on the bed. She looked over at him, her eyes barely open.

"There's absolutely no way you're getting me naked today." She said. "I need to be back to work in like 5 hours."

"Gordon's making you go back to work?"

"No. I just want to catch her Bruce. She's pissing me off. I worked all night and she's nowhere in any database, I even used yours."

"When? How?"

"I hacked it from the precinct but whatever…and she used gloves. Do you know how much I fucking hate gloves? No goddamn fingerprints or anything."

"Wow."

"Wow what?"

"You're just very involved in this."

"It's just…I don't want this to be another Joker fiasco. I saw what that did to you and now here's the bitch version." At that last part he laughed. "Come on, let's go to sleep." She yawned and before she could get up to change he pulled her to him. "Bruce!" She giggled and turned to him.

"Nothing's gonna hurt me." He whispered.

"I won't let it." She said. "I'm very protective over my men. I have to be, comes with the job. If anyone tried to hurt you or Gordon or Lucius or Alfred, I would hunt them to the ends of the earth."

"Oh my brave little Sweet Pea." He sighed.

"I'm serious. I would because you guys are all I have left in this world."

"I know, I know."

"Now we really need to sleep." She said getting up and he let her go. Not even two hours after they had fallen asleep Emily's phone was ringing again. "Hello?" She asked groggily.

"EMMIE!!" It was Aimee. Obvously in pain.

"What's the matter?!" She asked bolting upright in bed.

"I-I'm at the hospital."

"Is everything ok?"

"NO! I'm going into labor! I need you! I'm two months early Emmie…I'm scared."

"I'll be right there, just hold on. Is James there?"

"Yes."

"Ok." She hurried out of bed and started getting dressed. She looked over at Bruce, who had woken up when the phone rang. "I have to go to the hospital. Aimee…she's in labor."

"I'll go with you." He said getting out of bed.

"No, no, no. You need to sleep."

"I'm sure James is worried too. I'm going." He said unquestionably and got up to get dressed too.

"Oh, you are such a good friend." She said biting her bottom lip. "And when we get home, probably tomorrow, we are gonna sleep soo good. I'm going to put my phone on silent and you'll put yours on silent then we can sleep for a whole…year."

"I love the way you think." He said, giving her a kiss. They hurried to the hospital, the new improved Gotham General, and found the maternity ward. They went up to the desk to ask the nurse where Aimee's room was when they heard her yelling at someone down the hall. Bruce and Emily looked at each other before sprinting to her room. They got to the doorway and saw that she was yelling at a poor nurse who looked to be fresh out of high school. After she was done yelling at said nurse she finally looked at the doorway and saw Bruce and Emily standing there.

"Get in here!" She yelled and when Emily reached her bedside she started crying. While Bruce went over to James to see how he was doing.

"Aimee, calm down. Ok? You're baby is going to be fine. She's going to be a wonderful, healthy baby. Full of smiles and when she grows up you'll tell her that you love her as much as the whole world and then her Auntie Emmie can spoil her rotten."

"I will." She said, taking a deep breath subsiding her tears. As soon as she calmed down her doctor came into the room.

"Mrs. Newton? Are you ready to have this baby?"

"No!" She yelled, crossing her arms over her chest. Emily was about to calm her down when James stepped and whispered something in her ear and took her hand. "Ok, fine. But she better be ok!" Emily stepped back into the corner and mentally prepared herself for the next few hours of Aimee's labor. This mental preparation on both her and Bruce's part paid off in the end, for 5 hours and an emergency c-section later they were holding Aimee's beautiful baby girl while Aimee, James, and little Olivia were asleep.

"Isn't she just beautiful?" Emily asked him, looking down at the baby.

"She's the prettiest baby I've ever seen." He said as he looked down at her and got the image of Emily pregnant with his child in his head. His breath caught and he instantly tried to banish the thought. He couldn't bring a child into this world after all of the things he had seen, had stopped from happening. Yet, here he was, wondering what it would be like to raise a child with Emily and be a family. A real family like he'd had but that was impossible…wasn't it? His and Emily's phones going off at the same time again. Emily looked reluctant to put the baby down but she did to answer her phone.

"Hello?" They both said walking into the hallway. They looked at each other, grimacing before leaving the hospital to go to their respective place. At the entrance they kissed and parted ways.

As Emily sat down in the conference room with the other police officers she got a bad feeling in her stomach, the new information she and Lucius had would probably send Bruce straight into the fire.

"We have reason to believe that the escapees from Arkham Asylum and this 'Harley Quinn' are connected somehow."

"How do you know?" Someone at the table asked. She was up. She stood up and went to Gordon's side.

"'Harley Quinn' as she so endearingly calls herself, we think, is a doctor at Arkham and she's the one who's been letting these criminals go. This became evident when we realized that one of the doctor's schedules coincided with the 'Harley Quinn' appearances and the escapes of the locked up criminals."

"Who?"

"Dr. Harleen Quinzel. You'd think she would've come up with a better name to conceal her identity right? But, alas, villains have become sloppy."

"Are we sure it's her?"

"No," Gordon said stepping in. "We'll have to send someone in, undercover, to monitor her actions."

"Who?" Emily asked, not noticing everyone had turned towards her. "Me? I'm not a cop, guys. I'm your friendly neighborhood techie. I'm not…" She stopped herself from saying Batman.

"Emily, you're the only one who's non-descript enough to pull off being a nurse."

"Non-descript? I have blue hair!"

"So, dye it. We need to stop these occurances, Emily." Detective Olivia Moynahan, one of Emily's friends in the precinct, reasoned.

"Oh, fine. You police are so pushy…Where do we start?" She said but in her head she was thinking, _'Bruce is gonna kill me…Twice.'_

As Emily thought this Bruce was, in fact, at Arkham Asylum monitoring Dr. Harleen Quinzel as she interviewed the Joker at Lucius and Alfred's request. All they had done so far was back and forth standard conversation. He had just left when she turned off the camera and the conversation turned…to him.

"Listen, baby, how are we going to take out Bruce Wayne?" She asked and he watched as a slow, scary smile spread across the Joker's face.

"I don't do plans honey but what we will do, it involves you finding out who he's shacking up with lately and how that Butler of his is doing. Anyone that's close to him. I know that it's very overused but I've found it often works. This whole planning thing makes me angry. I need to get out of here. I need…chaos."

"There was an article in the paper a while ago. I'll find it."

"Thanks Toots. Now, take me back to my cell before we get caught." He snapped and she took him away.

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**A/N: DUN DUN DUN!!!!!! I decided to go with the Joker. The Riddler MAY make an appearance but it's doubtful. Harley Quinn and Joker just go together...in that weird way. And I had to add in the insecurities Emily has. It had to come up sometime and as much as i didn't want to...I had to. But anyway, hope you liked it. Review if you'd like. Sorry for the wait!**

**Loves,**

**Lola**


	10. Losing ItHerSleepHim

**Chapter 10: Losing It/Her/Sleep/Him**

**A/N: Damn I'm bad at updating! Sorry!**

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Emily got home the next morning after being drilled by virtually every cop in the precinct on undercover etiquette as tired as she was the day before, fell into bed, and hoped to God she was asleep before Bruce came home so she didn't have to tell him. She was actually falling asleep when her door opened and shut signaling he was home. She groaned and rolled over a big smile on her face at the sight of him.

"Good morning." She yawned.

"Good morning." He gave her a kiss before going to the bathroom to change.

"Ok…Bruce…I'm…" She started to herself_. _

'_You better not tell him.'_ The voice in her head said.

"I have to."

'_He'll just overreact and you'll get into a fight.'_

"That's a risk I'll have to take." She was ready to tell him, she really was, but when he came out of the bathroom and she saw the tiredness etched all over his face she decided it could wait until they were both rested. She beckoned him to bed and he gladly obliged, wrapping his arm around her waist and she felt the tension seep from his body as they fell asleep. He woke up hours later, relaxed. It was dusk and he reluctantly let go of her and slipped out of bed. After he was dressed he kissed her on the cheek and left. He was just about to have James come to the rooftop when his speaker picked up James voice yelling.

"How can you possibly think this is a good idea?!" James yelled.

"She can handle it." A second voice he recognized as Commissioner Gordon calmly answered.

"She's a technical analyst. She's never done anything like this before…She can't go undercover in Arkham Asylum." As soon as James had said technical Bruce knew who they were talking about and the rage that boiled in him, threatened to make him burst into the room and strangle Commissioner Jim Gordon.

"We've been training her. She's a big girl and there's nothing you _or Bruce Wayne_ can do about it. We asked her to do it and she said yes. She could've said no."

"I'll do it, I'll take her place."

"We need someone to get on Dr. Quinzel's good side and Emily is someone you entrust to all of your secrets..."

"Well, I hope you don't have any Commissioner because if anything at all happens to her…you know as well as I do what will happen."

"She will be safe. I've known her a lot longer than you Detective and I care about her just as much." Angrily Bruce stalked into the night looking for anyone to take his rage out on before he went home to Emily's apartment.

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When he did get back to her apartment, at ten in the morning, she was gone. He found the note she had written on the counter next to a fresh smoothie.

_Went to see Aimee and Livvie. Be back soon. Get some rest. We need to talk._

They were going to talk all right and when they were done talking there would be no going undercover and that was going to be that.

Emily sat next to Aimee's bedside holding Olivia in her arms. Aimee had been asleep when she got there at 9 that morning so she was just holding Olivia and talking to her.

"Livvie, I don't know. I'm 99.9% sure that this is the right thing to do, but Bruce is going to try and stop me, I know he is." She looked down at the tiny baby's face, who was a very healthy preemie baby to say the least, and smiled. "I know you don't understand and Auntie Emmie will always be here to make sure you will." She heard Aimee stir behind her.

"I'm never going to get that baby back am I?" Aimee was yawning as she turned around. Emily rolled her eyes, walked back to the side of the bed, and sat in the chair.

"Nope…unless she gets hungry of course."

"What are you 99.9% sure about?" She asked.

"Nothing, it's just work stuff."

"If it's just work stuff why would Bruce try and stop you?"

"Long story?"

"Come on spill. Which coincidentally you say to your boyfriend on a regular basis."

"Was that really necessary?"

"Yes it was." She held her hands out for her baby.

"You're so greedy." Emily said, and handed Olivia over reluctantly.

"So, what exactly will you be doing?"

"GoingundercoveratArkham." She said quickly turning to the wall. "This wallpaper is very nice here."

"Don't think I can't decipher your quick talk missy and I'd try to stop you too!" She whispered angrily, not wanting to upset Olivia. "You are not a cop. You are a technical analyst and you have no experience in cop...Things."

"Aims…"

"No, listen. If you were to get hurt for whatever reason you're doing this there would be no going back."

"I have to Aimee. I'm the only one that could possibly integrate themselves into the life of the bad guy...Or girl in this instance and I know…in my heart and my gut. I know I'm not like James or Bruce to have 'gut feelings' but I do and right now it's telling me that this person is the bad guy…girl and I can catch her. To keep the city safe. To keep you and Livvie-" She took a breath. "safe."

"You're not Batman honey."

"I may not be Batman but I can do this. It's not like I'm gonna get into any trouble. What's the worst that could happen?"

"They could find out who you really are, kidnap you, Gordon and James would have to save you then you and Bruce wouldn't be dating anymore." Emily grimaced at the smile plastered on Aimee's face. "Sound fun?"

"Not really, but none of that's going to happen."

"When it does I'm so going to say I told you so…then cry with you while we watch Roman Holiday and eat ice cream with Livvie."

"You really need to get out of this hospital."

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She stepped into the penthouse and immediately saw the look on Alfred's face.

"He knows?" She asked and he nodded. "Did he call Lucius?" He nodded again. "Fuckshit." She cursed and stopped at the entrance of the living room and found the two irate men in question. "I was going to tell you but you found out first and I'm not a child so stop trying to treat me like one. I've known for a day, give me some slack and with that slack don't even try talking me out of this. It's my job. We all agreed that I should work for Gordon and if that means going undercover as some IT analyst where I won't even get a scratch on me then I'll do it! I know in my gut that I can do this right and that Harleen Quinzel is the bad guy…girl…and I just went over this with Aimee!" She put her hands on her hips on the top of the steps and stared them down. "Now, you can speak."

"Buttercup, I'm sorry." Lucius' expression softened and he crossed the room to her.

"For what?" She asked cautiously.

"Not trusting you to do this but Mr. Wayne called me and suddenly there was another thing you hadn't told me about." She was relieved that at least _he_ was ok with this…somewhat.

"You Godfathers, always are jumping to conclusions. You've known me for how long?"

"A very long time, and if you feel like you can do this then…I'll stand by it as your Godfather."

"Thank you." She looked at Bruce, who was still seething, and grimaced. "How about we have lunch tomorrow?" She led him to the front door said goodbye before facing Bruce again. "Now, how may I help you angry boyfriend?"

"Emily you can't do this. I don't care what Gordon or James or even Lucius says. I can't risk you being hurt."

"Bruce…" It hurt her to see the pain in his eyes but she knew that she needed to do this. "This is my job. They picked me to do it and when I became a part of Gordon's unit…again as an active part of it I took an oath to protect this city, just like you did. This is my job and Gordon and James will be there to protect me because I sure as hell don't plan on getting hurt."

"You don't understand. I was there! There's no plotting going on...you're not a cop Emily."

"We both know that just because it seems there's nothing going on doesn't mean that there isn't and if there isn't anything going on then I'll be fine right?"

"I guess but you want to go into a place full of crazy people who think their being lied to everyday! When they find out you are lying to them they could break."

"Bruce, how would they find out I was lying?_ I'm_ certainly not going to tell them when I leave 'Oh, yeah and I'm really a technical analyst working for the Gotham Police.' No, I'm not going to say that."

"You don't understand!" She saw the anger and sadness etched all over his face and it was like a punch to the stomach.

"What don't I understand Bruce?! Explain it to me because obviously I'm missing the point!" She exclaimed, rubbing her eyes.

"Batman has a lot of enemies, and half of those enemies are locked up in Arkham Asylum. I know what they have done and what they could do if given the right leverage."

"Oh, really? I wasn't there? I didn't work for you for 5 years of my life?! Thanks for informing me of all of your enemies Bruce!" She picked up her purse. "This is a stupid fight. This is my job now and I don't want to fight with you, so I'm going to leave and I'll be at my apartment when you want to talk calmly about anything but this."

"If you still worked for me…" He started and she cut him off.

"If I still worked for you Bruce, could you honestly say that we would've gotten this far in a relationship or been in a relationship at all?" When he didn't answer she went on. "No? I didn't think so because I would still be pining for my employer and you would still be…you… I'll see you later Bruce." She walked towards the front door, saying a quick goodbye to Alfred on her way out. After she had gone Alfred walked up to Bruce.

"Sir, may I say something?"

"No--" He took a breath. "Ok."

"Miss Emily is…a fighter and she has a very protective nature not only over herself but for others too. She doesn't want you to think that she can't handle herself, I fear and that's what you're doing."

"Yeah? Well, Rachel was a fighter too and what did she do? She worked as an ADA and stayed away from criminals except to prosecute them and put them away. Emily is willingly walking into the belly of the beast."

"I never said she wasn't brave."

"This isn't bravery Alfred. This is…" He walked away. "Something else entirely."

Emily sighed when she got home as she dropped her purse and keys on the table. She looked around her surprisingly clean apartment and then at the clock. It was 2. Only 4 more hours before she had to go to work, and relive the reason this whole day had been such a shitfest. She went into her room and lay down on the bed throwing her shoes off as she did. Was their relationship so bad, that at one fight she ran away? She didn't want to think about it. She buried her face in the pillows and after 30 minutes of yelling and cursing herself _and_ the absent Bruce she curled into a ball and fell asleep. She woke up at 5 and got ready for work, prepared to get another lesson in undercover etiquette, her mind heavy with the fight. This was gonna suck.

He felt like a stalker as he watched her leave her house. She looked sad and he knew that he had made her that way. He followed her car as it headed towards the precinct, randomly catching conversations people were having in their houses but none of them were as important as following Emily.

While he sure as hell didn't want to fight with her but he sure as hell didn't want her to die. He'd had to compartmentalize his life before he'd met her. There was the Bruce Wayne aspect and then there was Batman. Batman had, thus far, won out in most occasions but he was sure that when it came to Emily, Bruce, the real Bruce Thomas Wayne, took control. However, as Batman and Bruce's lives merged the things that he saw shook him to his very core. He couldn't let what happened to Rachel happen to Emily and he was sure that if there was even a misstep in her actions it would, and it would be ten times worse.

She was in her office doubting herself already. She hadn't even started her undercover job and she was doubting herself. God dammit. She could do this. She had to do this. She pushed her chair back and quickly went into the restroom across the hall. She stood in front of the mirror and took a deep breath. "You can do this Emily. You are Emily Page. Daughter of Mike and Abby Page. Older brother to a closet genius." She looked in the mirror again. She missed her family. She missed Bruce and she'd only been fighting with him for what seemed like 10 seconds. She needed some liquor, and something happy. What would make her happy? Bruce. Lucius. Her parents. Her little brother, but wasn't she doing this for him? For her family and Lucius and Bruce? The whole reason she'd wanted to do this job was so that what happened to her wouldn't happen to anyone else. That, and at the time she wanted to get away from Bruce and now she needed him more than ever. "Fuck." She cursed and turned towards the door. "I really need to figure this out." We opened the door to the restroom, wiping her face and stopped. A chill ran up her spine, somebody was watching her.

"Hello? Is anyone here? This could be very awkward if you were listening to my family history!" She called into the restroom. "…And no one's here…that was smooth Emily." She turned back to the door and stopped again before shaking off the feeling and heading back to her office. Olivia and Gordon were waiting for and as soon as she walked in Olivia held up blonde hair dye. "BLONDE?! Really? Really? You want me to go _blonde_? No! No…that's just…no…No, I can't. I like my hair…my hair is my hair. I'm going to have to go to an insane asylum and talk to the crazy bitch running around the city while dealing with their crappy computers!"

"Emily." Gordon started towards her.

"Boss man, please. This day hasn't gone so well for me and I really need something to keep me from driving off a bridge."

Gordon and Olivia saw that this was taking its toll on her and at the exact moment Gordon was about to say so Olivia did it for him.

"Ok." Olivia put the box down in one of the chairs outside the restroom door and Gordon frowned at her. "Come on boss. It's only hair."

"I'll concede to the hair, but no more shortcuts Emily. This has to go off without a hitch."

"Right-o sir." She sat in the chair next to the box of hair dye and sighed loudly as he walked away.

"I know that this is all a little overwhelming." Olivia took the box and sat down next to Emily.

"A little?"

"Yeah, I was in your shoes once as a rookie and I'm not gonna lie it was hard. I was undercover for 6 months in a mob restaurant."

"Yeah, well I'm not even a rookie…I'm lower than a rookie, I'm a newb! But that's not to be confused with a noob."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Wow, I'm a nerd talking to a cop about computer lingo…if you don't know I probably shouldn't tell you. Anyway, I have to go back to my office." She stood and walked away leaving Olivia with a box of hair dye and kind of disoriented…Didn't she just say she was a noob, whatever that was, twice?

He, Bruce decided, was an ass. He'd heard the conversation between Emily and Olivia Moynahan and he hadn't realized until now how much this was affecting Emily. This wasn't easy for him to admit, mind you. None of it. Losing Emily for even a small amount of time, and worrying about her every millisecond would kill him. He would never actually tell her this but it was all he could think about. Emily made him into a different person, not Bruce or Batman. She made him just a normal guy in a relationship with a slightly-eccentric, very beautiful, talented, smart as hell woman. She was going to start her undercover job soon and he had a feeling that if he didn't talk to her, when she got back there wouldn't be and Emily and Bruce…and once again he'd be alone.

Emily got home the next morning…it was two days before she was to go undercover and checked her voicemail. She didn't exactly expect Bruce to have called…and he hadn't, but she wasn't going to give in either. Bruce had to know that he couldn't protect her from everything. They were moving her into another apartment tomorrow. They couldn't have anyone following her to her real apartment…she was gonna miss this apartment for the while that she was gone. Why did she agree to this again? To prove that she could protect the people around her? How stupid was that?! She thought as she landed in her bed, fully clothed, berated herself for about 30 minutes for being such a…._girl_ and fell into a restless sleep.

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**A/N: I hoped you liked it! I was a little apprehensive for this chapter because of the fight and the overreacting and stuff but I think it kinda came out ok!**


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